Antécédents de l'affaire: Arão Bula Tempo
Le 11 juillet 2016, le tribunal provincial de Cabinda a abandonné les charges contre le défenseur des droits humains Dr Arão Bula Tempo en raison du manque de preuve.
La Cour a déclaré que les accusations de "collaboration avec des étrangers dans le but de contraindre l'État angolais" et de "rébellion" n'étaient appuyées par aucune des preuves présentées par l'accusation.
Dr Arão Bula Tempo est défenseur des droits humains et avocat basé dans la province de Cabinda; il dénonce activement la corruption, les violations des droits humains et la mauvaise gouvernance dans la région. Il est le seul avocat de la province de Cabinda à prendre systématiquement des clients qui sont victimes d'arrestation, de détention arbitraire et de torture perpétrées par les forces de sécurité angolaises.
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- À propos de
- 14 Juillet 2016 : Abandon des charges contre le défenseur des droits humains Dr Arão Bula Tempo
- 18 Mai 2015 : Conditional release of Arão Bula Tempo and continued pre-trial detention of José Marcos Mavungo
- 10 Avril 2015 : Deteriorating health of detained HRDs Arão Bula Tempo and José Marcos Mavungo
Le 11 juillet 2016, le tribunal provincial de Cabinda a abandonné les charges contre le défenseur des droits humains Dr Arão Bula Tempo en raison du manque de preuve. La Cour a déclaré que les accusations de "collaboration avec des étrangers dans le but de contraindre l'État angolais" et de "rébellion" n'étaient appuyées par aucune des preuves présentées par l'accusation.
À l'origine, le défenseur a été accusé le 22 octobre 2015, mais bien qu'il ait été mis en liberté conditionnelle il attendait la date de son procès depuis octobre.
Dr Arão Bula Tempo a été arrêté une première fois le 14 mars 2015 pour son travail relatif à propos d'une manifestation visant à dénoncer la corruption, les violations des droits humains et la mauvaise gouvernance à Cabinda et qui devait avoir lieu le même jour. Dr Arão Bula Tempo a été accusé d'avoir invité des journalistes étrangers du Congo Brazzaville à assister à la manifestation. Son collègue, Jose Marcos Mavungo est sous le coup des mêmes accusations pour avoir participé à cette manifestation pacifique.
Tandis que Front Line Defenders salue la décision du tribunal provincial de Cabinda, elle appelle le gouvernement angolais à présenter des excuses officielles et à garantir que Dr Arão Bula Tempo reçoive des dédommagements appropriés pour les dommages causés à sa santé, à sa réputation et à son travail et ayant conduit à des accusations criminelles. De plus, Front Line Defenders exhorte les autorités angolaises à cesser immédiatement de cibler tous les défenseur-ses des droits humains au Zimbabwe et garantir qu'en toutes circonstances ils puissent mener à bien leurs activités légitimes en faveur des droits humains, sans craindre ni restrictions ni représailles, y compris l'acharnement judiciaire..
On 13 May 2015, human rights defender Mr Arão Bula Tempo was conditionally released pending trial after two months of imprisonment solely for his involvement in the organisation of a peaceful protest against human rights violations and bad governance in Cabinda. As a condition for his release, he must not leave the country without authorization. Mr José Marcos Mavungo, who was also arrested for planning the protest continues to be detained for investigation. His health remains unstable. Both human rights defenders are accused of committing crimes against the security of the state.
On 20 March 2015, Arão Bula Tempo and José Marcos Mavungo were charged with “collaboration with foreigners to constrain the Angolan state” and “rebellion”, respectively, both considered crimes against the security of the state. These accusations are in relation to a peaceful demonstration to denounce corruption, human rights violations and bad governance in Cabinda, which was scheduled to take place on the day of their arrest. Conviction on the charge of rebellion is punishable by up to 12-years' imprisonment, whilst the charge of collaboration with foreigners carries a potential 5-year sentence.
The human rights defenders were initially detained on 14 March 2015, in the province of Cabinda. José Marcos Mavungo was arrested for planning the demonstration, at a Church compound as he was going to his regular morning mass. Arão Bula Tempo was arrested by security forces in Cabinda near the border with Congo Brazzaville, reportedly for having invited journalists from the Republic of the Congo to cover the demonstration.
Front Line Defenders has received worrying reports concerning the health of human rights defenders Messrs Arão Bula Tempo and José Marcos Mavungo. On the afternoon of 9 April 2015, José Marcos Mavungo was transferred from the Central prison of Yabi to the Intensive Care Unit at the Central Hospital in Cabinda due to serious heart problems. On the same morning, Arão Bula Tempo received treatment at the same hospital due to arterial hypertension, and has since returned to prison. The human rights defenders have been detained on account of their human rights work since 14 March 2015.
Over the last week, the lawyers and families of Marcos Mavungo and Bula Tempo have expressed concerns at the fragile and deteriorating health conditions of the two human rights defenders while they remain in detention. In particular, Arão Bula Tempo had been increasingly suffering from palpitations, anxiety attacks and headaches. On 1 April 2015, Arão Bula Tempo suffered from a hypertensive crisis and was urgently attended to by a doctor at the prison, who confirmed his fragile condition. Arao Bula Tempo suffers from chronic arterial hypertension and needs constant treatment.
On 16 March 2015, Arao Bula Tempo and José Marcos Mavungo were transferred to the Central prison of Yabi in Cabinda following their arrest on the morning of 14 March 2015 in the province of Cabinda. They are charged with sedition in relation to their organisation of a peaceful demonstration to denounce corruption and bad governance in Cabinda. The demonstration was planned to take place on the same day that they were arrested. Reportedly, the authorities had pressured the organisers of the demonstration not to hold the event. The human rights defenders have as of yet not been informed of the date of their hearing.
