Amnesty urges Angola to free peaceful protesters amid health crisis
- Four activists in Angola were detained for planning a peaceful protest against motorcycle taxi restrictions and sentenced to over two years in prison.
- Their health has severely deteriorated due to withheld medical care, with reports of significant health issues among the detainees.
- Amnesty International has condemned the situation, calling for their release and highlighting the government's pattern of suppressing dissent.
Amnesty International has called for the release of four activists detained in Angola for planning a peaceful protest against restrictions on motorcycle taxi drivers. Arrested in September of the previous year, they were sentenced to two years and five months in prison for disobedience and resisting orders. Their health has significantly deteriorated due to withheld medical care, which Amnesty describes as a form of torture. Adolfo Campos, once healthy, has lost much of his vision and is now deaf in one ear, while Hermenegildo Victor José suffers from severe pain and was delayed in receiving medical attention. Gilson Moreira has been denied necessary bowel surgery, and Nahara, who is HIV positive, was without medication for eight months. The Angolan government has a history of suppressing dissent, recently enacting laws that expand security forces' control over media and impose harsh penalties for protests. These developments have raised concerns about human rights violations in the country. Vongai Chikwanda from Amnesty International emphasized that imprisoning individuals for peaceful protests is a grave injustice and highlighted the troubling trend of authorities using medical neglect as a punitive measure. The situation reflects broader issues in Angola, where the government has faced criticism for its treatment of activists and dissenters. The international community, including the US and EU, has shown interest in Angola for its resources, but this has not translated into improved human rights conditions. The lack of response from Angola's ministry of justice and human rights to Amnesty's requests underscores the challenges faced by activists in the country. As the health of the detained activists continues to decline, the call for their release becomes increasingly urgent. Amnesty International's advocacy aims to shed light on the injustices faced by these individuals and to pressure the Angolan government to uphold human rights and allow for peaceful dissent.