Justice for 11 victims of police brutality in Angola.
Since the declaration of the state of emergency to deal with the spread of COVID-19 in March 2020, Angolan security forces in various provinces have resorted to unnecessary, excessive, abusive and even lethal force to deal with infringements of public health measures and peaceful demonstrations. Amnesty International and OMUNGA, an Angolan human rights organisation, documented several peaceful protests that were met with police violence. The organisations also reported several killings committed by the Angolan security forces, including officers of the Angolan National Police (Polícia Nacional de Angola – PNA) and of the Angolan Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Angolanas – FAA).
Three years have passed since the deaths of these young people and to date only two of the state security forces suspected to be responsible have been convicted. The other state security forces responsible have not been held accountable nor have the victims and their families been provided with access to justice and effective remedies. Of the two police officers convicted one is serving a sentence of two years three months while the other one was sentenced to six years and six months but he remains at large.
WRITE A MESSAGE
Your Excellency President João Lourenço,
I am writing to raise my concerns about the repression and escalating crackdown on protests characterized by arbitrary arrests, excessive use of force and unlawful killings of protestors by security officials in Angola.
In 2020, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the right to protest was curtailed in Angola through the use of excessive and disproportionate force. Between March and November 2020, Amnesty International and OMUNGA, a local organization, documented 11 cases of killings by state security agents. Of these cases, 8 are adolescents aged between 14 and 17 years. The deaths of teenagers at the hands of state security forces, is a painful reminder that no one should pay with their life simply for exercising their right to peaceful assembly.
Three years have passed since the deaths of these young people and to date only two of the state security forces suspected to be responsible have been convicted. The other state security forces responsible have not been held accountable nor have the victims and their families been provided with access to justice and effective remedies. Of the two police officers convicted one is serving a sentence of two years three months while the other one was sentenced to six years and six months, but he is remains at large.
Despite the relaxation of Covid-19 measures the repression and brutal assault on protesters have not reduced. More deaths were recorded between 2021 and 2022. In January 2021 dozens of young people were killed in clashes between the police and demonstrators in Cafunfo. On 4 February 2021, one of the organizers of the march against police brutality was shot in the leg. To date he lives with a bullet in his body because he has been unable to receive adequate medical attention. Like other cases, there has been no accountability. In August 2022, a group of 12 young people in Benguela were detained and tortured by state security agents in the context of an attempt to demonstrate against the election results.
I appeal to the President to instruct law enforcement officers and security agents to immediately end the use of excessive force during protests in Angola and the culture of impunity by ensuring that the authorities carry out a prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigation into cases of deaths of:
- Mário Palma Romeu – Marito, 14 years
- Altino Holandês Afonso – Hernani, 15 years
- Helena Sebastião Mussunda, 15 years
- Mabiala Rogério Ferreira Mienandi – Kilson, 15 years
- Clinton Dongala Carlos, 16 years
- João de Assunção Eliseu, 20 years
- António Vulola, 21 anos
- Vanildo Sebastião Futa, 21 years
- José Quiocama Manuel, 23 years
- Sílvio Dala, 35 years
- Inocêncio de Matos, 26 years
I also urge you to instruct security forces to desist from use of lethal force.
I urge Angolan authorities to guarantee that protesters can freely exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, which are provided for under the Angolan constitution and international human rights treaties including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Angola is a state party.
Nobody should have to fear for their life when protesting. Protest is not a crime.
Yours sincerely,