Responding to the release of five arbitrarily detained government critics in Angola after more than a year behind bars, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Sarah Jackson, said:
“At last, Neth Nahara, Adolfo Campos, Gildo das Ruas, Tanaice Neutro and Pensador are free. We are overjoyed that they are home with their loved ones.
“Though we celebrate their release, these five people should never have been locked up. Authorities arrested them solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. We look forward to them receiving the medical care that authorities deliberately denied them in prison.
“Angola’s government must respect everyone’s rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and end arbitrary detention and torture in the country. They must urgently hold accountable anyone suspected of responsibility for violating the rights of these five activists.”
Background
On 25 December 2024, Angola’s President Joao Lourenço announced pardons for social media influencer Ana da Silva Miguel (known as Neth Nahara) and activists Adolfo Campos, Hermenegildo Victor José (known as Gildo das Ruas), Gilson Moreira (known as Tanaice Neutro) and Abraão Pedro Santos (known as Pensador).
Authorities released Neth Nahara on 1 January 2025 and released the other four on 6 January 2025.
Authorities arrested Neth Nahara on 13 August 2023 in her home in Angola’s capital Luanda after she broadcast a live TikTok video criticizing President Lourenço. Police arrested the other four activists on 16 September 2023 in Luanda before a planned protest in solidarity with motorcycle taxi drivers.
Authorities deliberately denied healthcare in detention for some of the five, including urgent surgery and daily HIV medication.
Amnesty International campaigned extensively for the release of the five with petitions, public statements, events and more, and supported them through their families and legal representatives during their imprisonment. Neth Nahara was featured in 2024’s Write for Rights, Amnesty International’s biggest human rights campaign.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.