PUBLIC STATEMENT ON THE AGGRESSIONS AND DETENTIONS OF DEMONSTRATORS ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2011

Public Statement on the Aggressions and Detentions of demonstrators on September 3, 2011

The human rights organizations Associação Justiça, Paz e Democracia (AJPD), Associação OMUNGA, Associação Construindo Comunidades (ACC), Associação AJUDECA, Associação VAPA, CMDI, SOS Habitat, Plataforma de Mulher em Acção (PMA) Conselho de Coordenação dos Direitos Humanos (CCDH), Associação SCARJOV, Associação Mãos Livres, Centro Nacional de Aconselhamento (NCC), Sindicato Nacional dos Professores (SINPROF) e Fundação Open Society-Angola, have registered the arbitrary agressions and detentions against the youths who protagonized the September 3, 2011 demonstrations and journalists doing press coverage of the event at the Independence Square.
The article 47th of the Constitution of the Republic of Angola states that “It is guaranteed to all citizens the freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration without gunfire, without the need of any authorization according to the law”. Therefore, it is the duty of the security forces to guarantee the protection of the demonstrators, as well as of the journalists who are covering the event.
We deplore that the aggressions against the students and journalists have derived from the security forces well identified and in civilian clothes. We further request the publication of the list with the names of all the people detained during the demonstration of September 3, 2011 including their location of detentions.
According to what is stipulated in article 63rd of the Constitution of the Republic of Angola, “Everyone person deprived of freedom should be informed during the moment of his/her imprisonment or detention, the respective reasons and of his/her rights, namely: to be informed about the place where he/she will be taken; inform the family and the lawyers about the imprisonment or detention and about the location where he/she will be taken; consult the lawyer before providing any declarations; be taken to a competent magistrate for the confirmation or not of the of the imprisonment and to be judged within the legal timeframe or be set free”.
We have registered that the demonstrators have been denied the right of consulting with their lawyers as well as refusal of information to the family members about the conditions and whereabouts of the demonstrators arrested.
We condemn the acts of aggression, torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment that the detained demonstrators have been subjugated to.
We appeal that the right of defence of the demonstrators and contacts with the family should not be denied and demand the guarantee of the physical integrity of all detainees and their unconditional and immediate release.
The organizations signatory of this Public Statement:
Associação Justiça Paz e Democracia (AJPD): António Ventura
Associação OMUNGA: José Patrocinio
Associação Construindo Comunidades (ACC): Domingos Francisco Fingo
Associação AJUDECA: Manuel Pembele Mfulutoma
Associação VAPA: Jeremias Pambassangue
Associação CMDI: Simão Yakitengue
Associação SOS Habitat: Rafael Morais
Plataforma de Mulher em Acção: Verónica Sapalo
Conselho de Coordenação dos Direitos Humanos:Francisco Tunga Alberto
Associação SCARJOV: Simão Cacumba
Associação Mãos Livres; Salvador Freire dos Santos
Fundação Open Society - Angola (FOS-A): Elias Mateus Isaac
Centro Nacional de Aconselhamento (NCC): Reis Luís
Sindicato Nacional de Professores (SINPROF): Manuel Victória Pereira