(MISA/CJFE/IFEX) – MISA and CJFE wish to express their shock and dismay at the news that the convictions of three Angolan journalists have been upheld by the Angolan Supreme Court. The two free expression organisations call upon other like-minded NGOs and media organisations to join them in appealing to Angolan authorities to stop persecuting the […]
(MISA/CJFE/IFEX) – MISA and CJFE wish to express their shock and dismay at the news that the convictions of three Angolan journalists have been upheld by the Angolan Supreme Court. The two free expression organisations call upon other like-minded NGOs and media organisations to join them in appealing to Angolan authorities to stop persecuting the media in their country. A joint MISA/CJFE letter follows:
Hon. José Eduardo dos Santos
President of Angola
Luanda, Angola
Fax: +244 2 331898/331885
3 November 2000
Your Excellency,
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) and Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) wish to express our shock and dismay at ongoing events threatening the universally-accepted right to freedom of expression in Angola. We are appealing to you to take serious measures to redress the situation and to enjoin the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and other authorities against persecuting the media in Angola. Such ongoing violations to free expression only serve to undermine efforts to see democracy flourish in Angola.
We refer in particular to the following actions. Most recently, on 27 October 2000, the Angolan Supreme Court ruled on the appeal of journalists Rafael Marques, Aguiar Dos Santos and Gustavo Costa. Marques and Dos Santos had been convicted of defaming you, while Costa was convicted of defaming José Leitao, chief of the president’s civil office.
We are disturbed that although Marques’ conviction of six months in prison was suspended for five years, Marques may not talk or write publicly or travel during this time. In addition, while his fine was reduced to 50,000 Kwanzas (approx. US$3,762), he was fined an additional 50 Kwanzas per day for six months to be paid to the court for costs. Likewise, despite the fact that they received suspended sentences, we are appalled that Dos Santos’ and Costa’s convictions were upheld, giving them both fines and jail sentences, although both men are allowed to travel.
Marques and Dos Santos, the director of the independent weekly “Agora”, were originally tried for charges stemming from an article written by Marques which appeared in “Agora” in July 1999. In the article, Marques referred to you as a dictator. The trial of the three journalists began on 21 March 2000 but was held largely in secret and was characterised by several judicial irregularities. Previously, on 16 October 1999, Marques was detained for 41 days in connection with these charges. Costa was charged with libelling Leito following an article he had penned for a Portuguese newspaper about corruption at the presidential palace. He was convicted in December 1999 in a trial that was closed to the public and the media.
Our dismay stems from the fact that the punishment meted out to the three journalists appears to be both legally and morally unjustifiable. In the case of Rafael Marques, we find his punishment in particular to be a gross violation of his human rights and his right to free expression. The conviction is an unnecessary gagging of a journalist to prevent him from exercising his right to free speech and access to gainful employment. We also wish to condemn the continued criminalisation of speech in Angola whereby Aquiar Dos Santos and Gustavo Costa have also been sentenced to jail terms and additional fines.
We urge you to consider how such actions against the media put Angola in the position of disregarding internationally-accepted norms protecting free expression. Such actions only serve to isolate Angola at a time when you should be building national and international reconciliation.
Yours sincerely,
Luckson Chipare, Regional Director
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Sharmini Peries, Executive Director
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
cc. Dr. André Cristiano, President of the Supreme Court
Rua 17 de Setembro
Luanda, Angola
Fax: +244 2 33 54 11
Domingos Culolo, Attorney General
Luanda, Angola
Fax: +244 2 333172
Embassy of the Republic of Angola
75 Albert St. Suite 900
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E7
Canada
Fax: +1 613 234 1179
Recommended Action
Send similar appeals to:Hon. José Eduardo dos Santos
President of Angola
Luanda, Angola
Fax: +244 2 331898 / 331885Dr. André Cristiano, President of the Supreme Court
Rua 17 de Setembro
Luanda, Angola
Fax: +244 2 335411Domingos Culolo, Attorney General
Luanda, Angola
Fax: +244 2 333172Embassy of the Republic of Angola
75 Albert St. Suite 900
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5E7
Canada
Fax: +1 613 234 1179Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
