“He wants to see equality in Angola”
16 September marks one year since Adolfo Campos has been arbitrarily detained. We met with his wife, Rosa Mendes, and their four kids, to hear more about what an entire year, without their father has been like.
Rosa Mendes, opened her home and her heart to us, to talk to us about her husband’s Adolfo Campos’s imprisonment. Adolfo (45) was arrested on 16 September 2023, hours before taking part in a solidarity demonstration with motortaxi drivers after authorities announced restrictions in their circulation in some areas of Luanda, capital city of Angola.
The demonstration had been duly communicated to authorities but the police arrested Adolfo and three other activists.
On 19 September 2023, Adolfo, Gildo, Pensador and Tanaice Neutro, were summarily tried and convicted. Public prosecutor initially accused them of “outrage and injury to the President of the Republic” since one of them was holding a placard with words saying “President Joao Lourenço is incompetent”.
Amid various inconsistencies and lack of evidence, the charge was changed to “disobedience and resisting orders” even though witness reports and videos circulated showed that at the time of their arrest, Adolfo and other activists were lying on the ground, not resisting.
We met with Rosa who told us who Adolfo is and how his activism started.
Rosa is joined by their four minor children. They also want to talk about their father; Rosa consents, we begin.
“I met Adolfo in South Africa, in 2006. We were both studying there. In 2009 we started our relationship. We are now married, with four kids” Rosa says.
The kids are now competing to show who knows their father better; “Daddy likes sports. He likes football, running and going to the gym. He would often watch soccer. He likes to eat banana, fruits and fish, he only eats fish. Our father likes Michael Jackson and Lucky Dube” they say.
Their mother jumps in and adds “My husband loves reading political books and his favourite book is The Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela’s autobiography. He also likes to read newspapers”.
“My father’s dream is to see everyone improving their lives, especially those who suffer the most. He wants to see equality in Angola. He suffers a lot when he sees other people struggling” the kids said.
Rosa immediately remembers some of Adolfo’s first actions in Angola. “The first demonstration he participated, was on 7 September 2011. Adolfo remained in prison for three months. That was the first time he was arrested” .
“Since he started his activism, we never had a normal life. There were times he had to sleep in the car because he couldn’t get home. Several times we had to leave our own house because it was not safe. As a woman, we want our husbands on our side and have normal life projects as other couples, but we don’t have the freedom to do that”.
“First quarter of 2023, while he was entering an amusement park with the kids, police surrounded the vehicle, while trying to take the kids out of the car. Kids were fighting, defending their father.” We had to stop as one of the young girls were breaking into tears remembering what she went through on that day. Her mother asked her to leave the room and get some water.
We continued the conversation with Rosa. We wanted to understand what she thinks about her husband’s current imprisonment, in which she replied: “This is the longest detention since he started his activism, and the saddest part is that the planned demonstration didn’t even take place. I am shocked and surprised by the level of injustice in Angola. It’s affecting our family at all the levels, including emotionally.”
“Many things have changed. He was the provider and used to take care of his mother as well. Now, I have to do everything, by myself. This is also affecting our children so much. The kids think their father is a hero, but they are tired of waiting for him to get out of the prison”.
‘Did you talk to him in the morning before he was arrested”, we asked?
“We were together on that Saturday. It was my mother’s birthday party. He would be the DJ of the party. I was inside the house when he suddenly disappeared. I knew he had gone to the protest, but I was calm. I thought in a matter of hours he would be back as always, but he didn’t. At 9pm, I realized something was wrong. I took my car and drove trying to find out, where he was”.
What happened on the day of the trial?
“On 19 September, I knew they would be sentenced, but when it actually happened, I froze. It was like a low blow”.
When you visit him, what does he normally say?
“He is now teaching other prisoners how to read and write. In the beginning his morale was low, but now, since his health is sensitive, he is more positive and willing to get out and get better”.
Several times Rosa reported her husband’s health wasn’t going well. After being checked by the doctors, it was recommended Adolfo undergoes urgent surgery, however the prison hospital doesn’t have the capacity to conduct such surgery. On 7 February 2024, his lawyer submitted a request so he could be transferred to a prison hospital and, permission for him to be checked by a private hospital for a surgeon. Seven months later, this request has not yet been responded to.
What do you miss the most about your husband?
Rosa was about to answer but kids came back to the living room and decided they are the ones who should answer that question. Their mother consented, so they started “We miss our father’s hug. We love when he brings cereals, candy’s, fried potatoes and biscuits. We miss spending the full day with him. When we are about to sleep, we go to him, and he often tell us a story”.
Rosa added “I miss my husband so much. We are very united as a couple. He has always been playful. People thought he would change after the marriage, but he is still the same loving, spiritual and playful person.”
What do you think about people being arrested for defending other people’s rights? We asked. “People like my father shouldn’t be arrested. They are right to protest for the people. It’s unfair that activists are arrested, they should be considered heroes. Heroes are defending human rights. They want a better world for everyone, even if they themselves are doing fine, they will still use their time to defend the people, not everyone can do that.”
We ended this conversation reflecting on the high price people like Adolfo are paying for their willingness to see their people have better living conditions. Adolfo’s kids are witnessing the injustice their father is facing. They are young but now they know that being vocal about injustice and inequalities can mean losing their freedom.
We are campaigning for the immediate release of Adolfo and others who are imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their human rights, but we need your voice so we can achieve greater impact. Sign now and share this petition for (AGPT) Adolfo, Gildo, Pensador and Tanaice Neutro.