Tanaice Neutro is a 35-year-old Angolan activist and artist who uses kuduro – a type of Angolan music – to express his views on social issues such as poverty, inequality, corruption and bad governance. One of his songs is called “Manifestação”, where he describes the challenges that the Angolan people face and the reasons for the growing number of protests led mainly by young people.
After having been held in pre-trial detention for about six months, contrary to the law which establishes a period of up to 90 days, he was wrongfully accused of various crimes, with three of the charges having since been withdrawn as unfounded. In October 2022, the judge determined that Tanaice should serve 15 months of suspended sentence and, due to his state of health, ordered his immediate release, something that has not happened to date.
It is still unclear why Tanaice Neutro has not yet been released as determined by the court in October 2022. Furthermore, the charges are unfair and stem solely from the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression, which makes his detention arbitrary.
The unfair arrest of Tanaice Neutro is one of several cases of Angolan activists and human rights defenders repressed by the government of their country. In fact, the right to freedom of association is seriously threatened in Angola, a country that is experiencing a profound social, economic, political and climate crisis, which culminated in 2011, when street protests began to pressure the resignation of former president José Eduardo dos Santos, who had been in power for nearly 38 years.
The election of President João Lourenço in 2017 raised hopes for improving living conditions and the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms in Angola, but it was not long before a new wave of protests began against the high cost of living, the lack of jobs and other basic services such as access to water and healthcare.
This wave of protests was weakened by the introduction of measures to combat Covid-19 on March 27, 2020, when a state of emergency was declared and several rights were restricted, including the right to assemble and peacefully demonstrate. During the introduction of Covid-19 containment measures, there was an exponential increase in disproportionate police violence, and since then several demonstrators and activists have been arrested – as happened with Tanaice Neutro -, and even killed without the perpetrators being judged.
Angolan authorities must immediately release Tanaice Neutro and respect the right to freedom of expression, stopping the repression of activists and human rights defenders in Angola.
All signatures will be sent by Amnesty International to the Minister of Justice and Human Rights of Angola.
Letter content
Dear Minister Marcy Cláudio Lopes,
I am writing to express concern for the arbitrary detention of activist Gilson da Silva Moreira (also known as Tanaice Neutro). On 13 January, he was arrested at the Criminal Investigation Services (SIC) in Luanda, Angola’s capital, where he went to seek information about another activist who had been arrested two days before in the context of the taxi drivers’ strike.
Tanaice Neutro is a popular artist who often uses kuduro, a type of Angolan music, to express himself about social issues in the country. He was arrested in connection to videos he posted on social media expressing frustration with the situation in Angola, including the levels of poverty, bad governance, corruption, and repression, and called on Angolans to stand up for their rights. In the videos, he also called the president a ‘clown’ and the authorities – who he accused of abusing their power by arbitrarily arresting people- ‘ignorant’.
He was held in pre-trial detention for about six months, contrary to the law that establishes a period of up to 90 days. On 22 April 2022, he was charged by the Court of First Instance initially with four offences (outrage, criminal association, resistance against public official and rebellion) from which three charges were later dropped for being unfounded. The judge then determined on 12 October 2022 that he should serve 15 months of suspended sentence for causing ‘outrage to the symbols of the state’ (Art. 333 of the Penal Code) in connection to the comments he made about the president and the authorities. However, after reviewing photos and hearing medical testimony, the judge ordered his immediate release on the basis that he was suffering from health problems which required urgent medical attention. The Public Prosecutor’s Office submitted an appeal to the Court of Appeal, which is still pending.
Tanaice Neutro urgently requires surgery. He has been getting severe headaches, fever and colorectal problems, which means he cannot eat the food given to him. There are also grave concerns for his mental health as he has expressed suicidal thoughts on numerous occasions. The denial of access to adequate medical care may amount to torture or other ill-treatment.
I urge you to immediately release Tanaice Neutro, as ordered by the judge, and to ensure that his conviction is quashed as it stems solely from the exercise of his right to freedom of expression. Pending his release, he must be urgently granted with access to adequate healthcare, including, if necessary, outside prison.
Yours sincerely,
Texto da carta a enviar
Ex.mo Senhor
Ministro da Justiça e dos Direitos Humanos
Dr. Marcy Claúdio Lopes
Escrevo-lhe para expressar a minha preocupação com a detenção arbitrária do ativista Gilson da Silva Moreira (também conhecido como Tanaice Neutro). A 13 de janeiro de 2022 foi detido nos Serviços de Investigação Criminal (SIC), em Luanda, onde se deslocou para obter informações sobre outro ativista detido dois dias antes no âmbito da greve dos taxistas.
Tanaice Neutro é um artista popular que costuma usar o kuduro, para se expressar sobre as questões sociais do país. Ele foi preso devido a vídeos que publicou nas redes sociais onde expressa a sua frustração com a situação em Angola, incluindo os níveis de pobreza, má governança, corrupção e repressão, e apelou aos angolanos para defenderem os seus direitos. Nos vídeos, ele também chamou ao presidente de ‘palhaço’ e às autoridades – que ele acusou de abusarem do poder ao prenderem pessoas arbitrariamente – de ‘ignorantes’.
Tanaice Neutro foi mantido em prisão preventiva durante cerca de seis meses, contrariando a lei que estabelece um período de até 90 dias. A 22 de abril de 2022 foi acusado pelo Tribunal de Primeira Instância inicialmente por quatro crimes (injúria, associação criminosa, resistência contra funcionário público e rebelião), dos quais três foram posteriormente retirados por serem infundadas. A 12 de outubro de 2022, o juiz determinou que Tanaice deveria cumprir 15 meses de pena suspensa por ‘ultraje aos símbolos do Estado’ (Art. 333º do Código Penal) em relação aos comentários que fez sobre o presidente e as autoridades. No entanto, depois de analisar fotografias e ouvir o depoimento médico, o juiz ordenou a sua libertação imediata com base no facto de Tanaice estar a sofrer de problemas de saúde que exigiam atenção médica urgente. O Ministério Público interpôs recurso para o Tribunal da Relação, que ainda se encontra pendente.
Tanaice Neutro precisa urgentemente de uma cirurgia. Ele tem sofrido de fortes dores de cabeça, febre e problemas colorretais, o que significa que ele não pode comer o que lhe é dado. Também há sérias preocupações com a sua saúde mental, uma vez que ele expressou pensamentos suicidas em várias ocasiões. Negar o acesso a cuidados médicos adequados pode equivaler a tortura ou outros maus-tratos.
Solicito que liberte imediatamente Tanaice Neutro, conforme ordenado pelo juiz, e que garanta que a sua condenação é anulada, pois decorre exclusivamente do exercício do seu direito à liberdade de expressão. Enquanto aguarda a sua libertação, Tanaice deve ter acesso urgente a cuidados de saúde adequados, incluindo, se necessário, fora da prisão.
Cumprimentos,