The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) today presented an oral statement to the African Commission Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) concerning the situation of HRDs in Angola. The statement was presented during the 58th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights currently being held in Banjul, the Gambia. It highlighted concerns regarding the conviction of 17 Angolan activists, including for a crime only introduced during the closing argument of the trial and for which they were not afforded the opportunity to defend themselves. The statement further raised concern regarding the continued imprisonment of HRD, José Marcos Mavungo despite a call for his release by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions. In its concluding remarks, SALC requested the Special Rapporteur to condemn the continued persecution and prosecution of HRDs in the country and to undertake a country visit to Angola. Read the full statement: Oral Statement by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre to SR on HRDs
