Arrest of fourteen members of the Revolutionary Movement and of Mr. Domingos da Cruz

AGO 001 / 0615 / OBS 053
Arbitrary detention / Judicial harassment /
Ill-treatment
Angola
June 29, 2015

The Observatory for the Protection of Human RightsDefenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights(FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgentintervention in the following situation in Angola.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sourcesabout the arrest of fourteen members of the Revolutionary Movement, a group ofyouth activists advocating for democracy, political changes and human rights inAngola, and of Mr. Domingos da Cruz, journalist.

According to the information received, on June 20,2015, while members of the Revolutionary Movement were holding a meeting inLuanda to discuss the human rights situation and bad governance prevailing inAngola, police forces entered the place and arrested fourteen youth activistsfrom the organisation, namely Messrs. Luaty Beirão, Manuel Nito Alves,Nuno Dala, Nelson Dibango, Alfonso Matias, Sedrick deCarvalho, Nicolas Radical, Samussko Hitler, Arantes Kinuvu,Valdemiro, Albano Bingo, Sheik Hata, Innocent Druxand Osvaldo Caholo. Police forces also seized their personal belongingswithout a warrant including computers, mobile phones, flash drives, diaries,cameras and credit cards.

According to the same information, a warrant toproceed to the search of the residence of the individuals under arrest and theseizure of any potential evidence, was issued on June 22, 2015.

On the same day, following their arrest, the DirectorGeneral of the Criminal Investigative Service, issued a statement saying thatthey are being accused of “preparing acts aimed at disrupting public order andsecurity in the country”. It was later reported that they are being chargedwith “rebellion”, “attempted coup d'Etat” and “crimes against nationalsecurity”.

Furthermore, on June 21, 2015, Mr. Domingos da Cruz,was also arrested. Mr. da Cruz was initially supposed to take part in themeeting as a speaker, but he finally did not attend the meeting.

It is reported that Messrs. Domingos da Cruz, Luaty Beirão and Manuel Nito Alves are detained at the29th Police Station in Luanda, while the other activists arrestedare detained in police stations across Luanda. However, the whereabouts ofMessrs. Nicolas Radical, Arantes Kivuvu, Valdemiro, Sheik Hata, Innocent Druxand Osvaldo Caholo remained unknown at the time of this appeal.

Allegations of physical and psychological torture aswell as death threats targeting the activists have also been reported.

The Observatory isgreatly concerned by the arbitrary detention and allegations of ill-treatmenttargeting fourteen members of theRevolutionary Movement and Mr. Domingos da Cruz, which seem to merelyaim at sanctioning their human rights activities and calls upon the authoritiesof Angola to immediately and unconditionally release all of them.

Actions requested:

Please write to the authorities in Angolaasking them to:

i. Guaranteein all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Messrs. Domingosda Cruz, Luaty Beirão, Manuel Nito Alves, Nuno Dala, Nelson Dibango, AlfonsoMatias, Sedrick de Carvalho, Nicolas Radical, Samussko Hitler, Arantes Kinuvu,Valdemiro, Albano Bingo, Sheik Hata, Innocent Drux and Osvaldo Caholo, as wellas of all human rights defenders in Angola;

ii. Immediately disclose the whereabouts of Messrs.Nicolas Radical, Arantes Kivuvu, Valdemiro, Sheik Hata, Innocent Drux andOsvaldo Caholo;

iii. Immediately andunconditionally release Messrs.Domingos da Cruz, Luaty Beirão, Manuel Nito Alves, Nuno Dala, Nelson Dibango,Alfonso Matias, Sedrick de Carvalho, Nicolas Radical, Samussko Hitler, ArantesKinuvu, Valdemiro, Albano Bingo, Sheik Hata, Innocent Druxand OsvaldoCaholo, as well as all human rights defendersarbitrarily detained in Angola;

iv. Putan end to all acts of harassment and intimidation, including at the judiciallevel, against Messrs. Domingos da Cruz, Luaty Beirão, Manuel NitoAlves, Nuno Dala, Nelson Dibango, Alfonso Matias, Sedrick de Carvalho, NicolasRadical, Samussko Hitler, Arantes Kinuvu, Valdemiro, Albano Bingo, Sheik Hata,Innocent Drux and Osvaldo Caholo and all human rights defenders in Angola, and ensure in all circumstancesthat they are able to carry out their work without unjustified hindrance andfear of reprisal;

v. Conform with theprovisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by theGeneral Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially itsArticle 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and inassociation with others, to promote and to strive for the protection andrealisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national andinternational levels”, as well as its Article 12.2, which provides that theState shall “take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by thecompetent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others,against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adversediscrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of hisor her legitimate exercise of his or her rights”;

5. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Angola.

Addresses:

· H.E. José Eduardo dos Santos, President of theRepublic of Angola, Rua 17 de Setemro, Cidade Alta, Luanda República de Angola

· H.E. Manuel Domingos Vicente, Vice-President of theRepublic of Angola, Rua 17 de Setemro, Cidade Alta, Luanda República de Angola

· Mr. Ângelo de Barros Veiga Tavares, Minister ofInterior, Avenida 4 de Fevereiro n.º 106, Luanda República de Angola; Tel:222390423

· Mr. Rui Jorge Carneiro Mangueira, Minister of Justiceand Human Rights, Rua 17 de Setemro, Cidade Alta, Luanda República de Angola

· H.E. Mr. Apolinário Jorge Correia,Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Angola to the United Nations Office in Geneva,Rue de Lausanne 45-47CH-1201 Genève – Suisse, +41 22 732 30 60, E-mail: contact@mission-angola.ch

· H.E. Elizabeth Simbrão, Ambassador, Embassy of Angolain Brussels, Rue Franz Merjay 182 1050 Brussels, Belgium, Phone: (+32)2.346.18.72 Fax: (+32) 2.344.08.94, Email: angola.embassy.brussels@skynet.be

Pleasealso write to the diplomatic representations of Angola in your respectivecountries.