Amnesty International calls for activists to be released

Jaimie-faith Poonah

24 June 2015

Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of a group of human rights activists who were arrested in Luanda over the weekend.

The group was arrested during a meeting to discuss human rights violations and governance concerns under President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

Amnesty International Deputy Director for Southern Africa Noel Kututwa said Amnesty International is concerned that the interior ministry has accused these human rights activists of wanting to disrupt public order and public security of the country.

Kututwa added that this is the part where Angolan authorities talk human rights activists from clearing out their legitimate work of looking at the human rights record of the country, in calling upon the government of Eduardo dos Santos to account.

“This must stop and activists should be allowed to meet to discuss human rights issues with government consent.” Kututwa concluded.