Toronto September 4, 2024 — The Opening Central Africa Coalition (OCA) firmly and unequivocally condemns the arbitrary detention and mistreatment of Florindo Chivucute, CEO of Friends of Angola, by Angolan authorities. On August 21, 2024, Mr. Chivucute was unjustly detained for 24 hours at the 4th police station in Manianga, Luanda, under the pretext of a parking violation. Mr. Chivucute was taken by unidentified persons in civilian clothes from the Traffic Police, the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), and the Department for the Investigation of Criminal Offenses (DIIP). During his detention, Mr. Chivucute was subjected to inhumane conditions, spending the night handcuffed to a chair without food or water for 24 hours.
On August 22, 2024, Mr. Chivucute was rushed before a summary trial, where he was falsely accused of resistance and disobedience during his arrest. He was promptly sentenced to 60 days in jail, a sentence that was converted to a fine. Despite promptly paying the court-imposed fine, Mr. Chivucute has yet to receive his driver’s license, identification documents, and his vehicle, which were unlawfully confiscated by the authorities.
In the past, Mr. Chivucute received death threats, which are part of a pattern of intimidation and harassment he has faced in Angola. Such threats against a human rights defender are unacceptable and highlight the deteriorating civic space in the country.
The Opening Central Africa Coalition urgently calls on the Angolan government to immediately return Mr. Chivucute’s personal property, cease its campaign of harassment against him and other human rights defenders, and uphold the rule of law. “The arbitrary incarceration of Mr. Chivucute is a stark reminder of the shrinking civic space in Angola, where dissenting voices are increasingly silenced through intimidation and unlawful detention,” sentenced Tutu Alicante from EG Justice, a member of OCA.
“We stand in solidarity with Florindo Chivucute and all those who courageously advocate for human rights and democracy in Angola and across Central Africa,” said Andrea Ngombet from Sassoufit, coordinator of OCA. We urge the international community to take note of these egregious violations and to hold the Angolan government accountable for its actions. Your voice and actions can make a difference.
