Angola: Further information: 15 activists still in jail, one in critical condition
15 Angolan youth activists are still detained in Angola. Some of them began a hunger strike on 20 September to protest against their illegal detention. Luaty Beirão is still on hunger strike and his health is deteriorating. Nelson Dibango joined the hunger strike on 9 October.
Further information on UA: 143/15 Index: AFR 12/2632/2015 Angola Date: 12 October 2015
URGENT ACTION
15 ACTIVISTS STILL IN JAIL, ONE IN CRITICAL CONDITION
15 Angolan youth activists are still detained in Angola. Some of them began a hunger
strike on 20 September to protest against their illegal detention. Luaty Beirão is still on
hunger strike and his health is deteriorating. Nelson Dibango joined the hunger strike on
9 October.
The 15 youth activists were arrested and detained by Angolan security forces between 20 and 24 June in Luanda
after attending a peaceful meeting held to discuss politics and governance concerns under President José Eduardo
dos Santos. They were formally charged on 16 September with preparing a rebellion and a coup attempt against
the president, but only officially informed of their indictment on 5 October. The activists were therefore held in pre-
trial detention without charge for longer than the 90 days permitted by law. Their charges are considered crimes
against the security of the state and they carry a penalty of up to three years in jail or the corresponding fine.
Some of the activists went on hunger strike on 20 September to protest against their illegal detention.
Most abandoned the hunger strike after a few days, but Luaty Beirão is still on hunger strike. For three weeks, he
has only been drinking water mixed with salt and sugar provided by his family. His health has been deteriorating
and he is finding it difficult to drink and walk. According to his family, he was transferred to the hospital prison of
São Paulo on 9 October, but he only accepted an intravenous saline drip on 11 October. Another of the 15
activists, Nelson Dibango, joined the hunger strike on 9 October.
Please write immediately in Portuguese, English or your own language:
Calling on the Angolan authorities to release the 15 youth activists immediately and unconditionally, as
they are prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of their rights;
Urging them to ensure that pending the release of Luaty Beirão and Nelson Dibango, who are on hunger
strike, they have access to a qualified health professional providing health care in accordance with their wishes and
in compliance with medical ethics, including the principles of confidentiality, autonomy, and informed consent;
Urging them to end the practice of arbitrary arrest, harassment and intimidation of activists, upholding the
right to freedom of association, assembly and expression.
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 Setembro, No. 32
CP 1986
Luanda, Republic of Angola
Salutation: A sua Excelência / Your
Excellency
General Prosecutor of Angola
João Maria Moreira de Sousa
Office of the General Prosecutor
Rua 17 Setembro
Largo do Amor, Vila Alice
Luanda, Republic of Angola
Salutation: Exmo. Dr. / Dear
Prosecutor
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 second update of UA 143/15. Further information:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr12/2295/2015/en/
URGENT ACTION
15 ACTIVISTS STILL IN JAIL, ONE IN CRITICAL CONDITION
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Dissent is frequently repressed, and often dealt with violently, by the Angolan 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, extrajudicially executed, arbitrarily detained and tortured. Despite freedom of expression and peaceful assembly
being clearly enshrined in the country’s constitution and in several international treaties that Angola has signed and ratified,
violations of these rights are frequent.
Angolan activists Laurinda Gouveia and Rosa Conde were also charged alongside the 15 youth activists on 16 September, but
are not in detention.
On 11 October, supporters of Luaty Beirão and the other activists held a vigil at Sagrada Família Church in the capital, Luanda.
According to those who took part, the police showed up at the vigil with guns, water cannons and dogs. To avoid conflict with
the police, they cut short the vigil.
Names: Henrique Luaty da Silva Beirão, Manuel Chivonde (Nito Alves), Nuno Álvaro Dala, Afonso Mahenda Matias (Mbanza Hanza), Nelson
Dibango Mendes dos Santos, Hitler Jessy Chivonde (Hitler Samussuko), Albano Evaristo Bingocabingo, Sedrick Domingos de Carvalho,
Fernando António Tomás (Nicolas o Radical), Arante Kivuvu Italiano Lopes, Benedito Jeremias, José Gomes Hata (Cheick Hata), Inocêncio
Antônio de Brito, Osvaldo Sérgio Correia Caholo and Domingos da Cruz.
Gender m/f: male
Further information on UA: 143/15 Index: AFR 12/2632/2015 Issue Date: 12 October 2015