Angola 15+2
In June 2015 the Angolan police arrested 13 human rights defenders, while they were participating in a meeting. They were reading Gene Sharp's From Dictatorship to Democracy and discussing peaceful methods of protest. Two days later, two more activists were detained. The group of human rights defenders is known as Angola 15 + 2. The 15 human rights defenders who were detained in June are: Domingos da Cruz, Sedrick de Carvalho, Luaty Beirão, José Gomes Hata, Nito Alves, Afonso Matias “Mbanza Hamza”, Hitler Samussuko, Inocêncio Brito “Drux”, Albano Bingo, Fernando Tomás “Nicola”, Nelson Dibango, Arante Kivuvu, Nuno Álvaro Dala, Benedito Jeremias, Osvaldo Caholo. Authorities also charged two women activists - Laurinda Gouveia and Rosa Conde - but they did not detain them. On 28 March 2016, the Provincial Court of Luanda (Tribunal Provincial de Luanda) sentenced the human rights defenders from the 15+2 case to jail terms ranging from two years and three months to eight years and six months for the crimes preparatory acts of rebellion and association of criminals.
Human rights defenders in Angola have been victims of arrests, judicial harassment, physical attacks, threats and defamation campaigns. Freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression are limited. Human rights defenders working on civil and political rights and journalists criticizing the government are especially at risk.
