Federica
Mogherini
High
Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs/Vice President of the European
Commission
Brussels, August 12th 2015
Madam High
Representative,
On the 8th of
August, mothers and relatives of 15 young political prisoners arrested in
Angola defied the authorities’ prohibition
of a duly notified demonstration and proceeded to march peacefully in Luanda to
demand the release of their sons and relatives, who were imprisoned by the
Angolan authorities on June 21st, under the presumption that they were planning
a coup d'état, even though no substantial evidence has been gathered to sustain
these allegations and they were not yet formally accused.
The march was
met with extreme police brutality - some demonstrators were heavily kicked and
punched, while others were attacked by police dogs. One young man is hospital
in serious condition and two of the mothers were badly wounded by the dogs.
Journalists covering the event were also harassed and threatened by the police.
Having in mind
that the right to peacefully demonstrate is enshrined in the Angolan
Constitution, that this violent repression represents an escalation in the
crackdown by Angolan authorities on political dissenters and human rights
campaigners, and that Angola and the EU are bound by obligations to respect
human rights as per the Cotonou Agreement,
1 - In case
you have not yet done so, are you prepared to express dismay to the Angolan
Government over the continuous detention of the Luanda political
prisoners (revús), many of them held in confinement cells now for over 45 days,
and that of Mr. Marcos Mavungo, detained in Cabinda for several months merely
for his human rights work? Will you convey
your protest
over the continued harassment against their relatives making visits to prison,
healthcare and even food support ever more difficult?
2 - In case
you have not yet transmitted your condemnation of police brutality and
restrictions against peaceful demonstrators in Angola, in violation of the
right to peaceful assembly and demonstration, are you prepared to do so?
Best regards,
Ana GOMES
Josef WEIDENHOLZER
Knut FLECKENSTEIN
Elena VALENCIANO
Brando BENIFEI
Marietje SCHAAKE
Pavel Telička
Urmas PAET
Fernando MAURA BARANDIARÁN
Michael GAHLER
Mark DEMESMAEKER
Petras AUSTREVICIUS
Marisa MATIAS
Tania GONZALEZ PENAS
Tunne KELAM
Pavel SVOBODA
Andrea COZZOLINO
Daniel BUDA
Nicola CAPUTO
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