José Marcos Mavungo acquitted and released!

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PRESSRELEASE - THE OBSERVATORY

Paris-Geneva, May 27, 2016 - The Observatory for theProtection of Human Rights Defenders (an FIDH-OMCT partnership) welcomes theacquittal and subsequent release of Mr.José Marcos Mavungo, former member of “Mpalabanda”, a civic group banned in2006 after producing reports highlighting human rights abuses by securityforces in oil-rich but poverty-racked Cabinda province.

On May 20,2016, the Supreme Court of Angola eventually acquitted Mr. José MarcosMavungo after concluding that there was insufficient evidence to upholdaccusations of “rebellion” against him.

“While we welcome the long-awaitedacquittal and release of José Marcos Mavungo, we strongly deplore the judicial harassment which led to his arbitrarydetention for more than a year”,our organisations said today.

Mr. Mavungohad been arrested on March 14, 2015 for helping out on organising a peacefuldemonstration promoting human rights and denouncing bad governance in Cabindaprovince. On May 27, 2015, he was formally charged with “rebellion”, but wasonly informed of his indictment on June 22. His trial started on August 25 andwas marred with several irregularities. On September 14, 2015, he was convictedto six years' imprisonment by the Cabinda Provincial Court on charges of“rebellion”.

TheObservatory recalls that, as mentioned in its MissionReport issued in March 2015, human rights defendersand journalists remain widely exposed to judicial harassment, acts ofintimidation, threats and other restrictions to their freedom of associationand expression in Angola.The sentencing of 16 pro-democracy activists on March 28, 2016 by the LuandaProvincial Tribunal to jail terms ranging from two years and three months toeight years and six months for the alleged crimes of “preparatory acts ofrebellion” (Article 21 of the Criminal Code) and “association of criminals”(Article 263), among other charges is emblematic of the criminalisation ofhuman rights defenders. To date, they remain in arbitrary detention[1].

TheObservatory calls upon the Angolan authorities to release all arbitrarilydetained human rights defenders, and to conform in all circumstances with theUnited Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and other internationaland regional human rights instruments.

TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) wascreated in 1997 by FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT). Theobjective of this programme is to intervene to prevent or remedy situations ofrepression against human rights defenders.

For moreinformation, please contact:

• FIDH: Arthur Manet: + 33143552518

• OMCT:Delphine Reculeau / Chiara Cosentino: +41228094939

[1] See Observatory UrgentAppeal AGO 001 / 0615 / OBS 053.3 of March 31, 2016.