Angola :: Arbitrary detentions continue
Human rights activist Manuel Nito Alves sentenced to six months in prison
XIV Coloquio Inrternacional de Direitos Humanos. Conectas. 2015 Cobertura
The government of Angolan President José Eduardo dos Santos, in power since 1979, continues to engage in arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and opponents of the regime.
On February 8, the activist Manuel Nito Alves, aged just 19, was sentenced by the Provincial Court of Luanda to six months in prison in a closed facility for contempt. Alves questioned the seriousness of the court that was trying him and another 16 activists accused of “inciting rebellion and coup d’état”.
The activists were detained in June 2015 during a meeting in which they were discussing the book by Gene Sharp, “From Dictatorship to Democracy”, on the non-violent struggle against repressive governments. Fifteen of them, including Alves, were held in pre-trial detention for six months before being placed under house arrest. Alves could still be convicted for the initial charge.
During his time in Brazil, in May 2015, Alves participated in the 14th International Human Rights Colloquium, in São Paulo. At the time, he spoke publicly about the risks he was taking by criticizing President José Eduardo dos Santos and he denounced the violation of rights and freedoms in his country.
“There can be no democracy without respect for human rights and freedom of expression. We stand by Alves, who is once again the target of persecution for questioning his government,” said Ana Cernov, coordinator of the South-South program at Conectas.
When the activists were first arrested, Conectas joined the international condemnation and pointed out, in a letter sent to the Angolan Embassy in Brasília, that the responsibilities assumed internationally by the country compel its government to respect the rights to freedom of assembly, association and expression.
In a joint letter sent to Brazil’s Foreign Ministry two months after the arrests, Brazilian and Angolan organizations requested action from the Brazilian government, since the country has strategic relations with Angola. Another request was submitted to the Ministry in November 2015, when the Angolan Foreign Minister, George Chikoti, came to Brazil on an official visit.
