Angola: Further Information: Angolan activist sentenced to six years in jail
Angolan human rights defender José Marcos Mavungo was sentenced to six-years in prison on 14 September, on charges of ‘rebellion’, a crime against the security of the state. He has been in detention since 14 March for taking part in the organisation of a peaceful protest.
Further information on UA: 78/15 Index: AFR 12/2506/2015 Angola Date: 12 October 2015
URGENT ACTION
ANGOLAN ACTIVIST SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS IN JAIL
Angolan human rights defender José Marcos Mavungo was sentenced to six-years in prison
on 14 September, on charges of ‘rebellion’, a crime against the security of the state. He has
been in detention since 14 March for taking part in the organisation of a peaceful protest.
José Marcos Mavungo was sentenced to six-years in prison on 14 September. He was charged and convicted of
‘rebellion’ for his involvement in organizing a peaceful demonstration and his alleged association with a group of
unknown men said to have been found with explosives and flyers before the demonstration. No evidence of his
relationship with the men or his involvement in the production of the flyers was presented during the trial. According
to his lawyer, the judge stated that he was guilty because the pamphlets “only appeared in Cabinda at a time when
José Marcos Mavungo was planning to assemble the masses to rebel against the authorities”. He was also ordered
to pay 50 000 Kwanzas (approximately 400 US dollars) to cater for court costs incurred during his trial. An appeal
was lodged on 16 September at the Supreme Court of Justice.
José Marcos Mavungo is in need of continued proper medical treatment as he suffers from a heart disease
(cardiopathy) and has a liver condition. He has also been diagnosed with malaria several times as he has
previously been held in a stuffy and humid cell, infested with mosquitoes.
José Marcos Mavungo’s wife affirmed that she has not been allowed to spend as much time with her husband as
she did before his sentencing. Moreover, she has been required to pay 150 Kwanzas (approximately 1.1 US
dollars) to the authorities for each prison visit. Mavungo is no longer receiving a salary from his previous employer
and the family has been facing serious financial constraints. His wife also has to bring him meals in prison twice a
day (breakfast and lunch).
Amnesty International considers José Marcos Mavungo to be a prisoner of conscience as he has been convicted
and imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.
His conviction is particularly concerning as 15 other activists are detained under similar charges of ‘rebellion’ in
Angola.
Please write immediately in Portuguese, English or your own language:
Calling on the Angolan authorities to immediately and unconditionally release José Marcos Mavungo, as he is a
prisoner of conscience imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his rights;
Calling on them to quash the conviction and drop the charges against him, as they are based solely on his
peaceful work as human rights defender.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 23 NOVEMBER 2015 TO:
Minister of Justice and Human Rights
Rui Jorge Carneiro Mangueira
Ministry of Justice and Human Rights
Rua 17 de Setembro, nº 32
CP 1986
Luanda – Republic of Angola
Salutation: A Sua Excelência
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below:
Name Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation
Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the fourth update of UA 78/15. Further information:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr12/2362/2015/en/
URGENT ACTION
ANGOLAN ACTIVIST SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS IN JAIL
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dissent in Angola is frequently dealt with repressively, and often violently, by the various authorities. Amnesty International has
documented how the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly have been unlawfully restricted in Angola in its
report Punishing Dissent: Suppression of Freedom of Association and Assembly in Angola
(https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr12/004/2014/en/).
Some of those who have challenged the government of President José Eduardo dos Santos have been subjected to enforced
disappearance, extra judicial execution, arbitrary detention and torture. Freedoms of expression, association and peaceful
assembly are clearly enshrined in Angola’s constitution and several international treaties that the country has signed and
ratified, but violations to these rights continue.
Names: José Marcos Mavungo
Gender m/f: m
Further information on UA: 78/15 Index: AFR 12/2506/2015 Issue Date: 12 October 2015