“Angola: Rights Activists Face Outrageous Trials - End Politically Motivated Prosecutions, Unfair Proceedings”, 18 June, 2015

…Angolan authorities should drop politically motivated charges against the author Rafael Marques de Morais and two other human rights activists. On May 28, 2015, Luanda’s provincial court sentenced Marques de Morais to six months in prison, suspended for two years, on charges stemming from his writing about alleged corruption and human rights violations. The activists José Marcos Mavungo and Arão Bula Tempo were arrested on March 14, 2015, in connection with efforts to organize a peaceful protest that day in Angola’s oil-rich…Cabinda…The prosecution and trial of Marques de Morais were marked by serious violations of his fair trial rights, including the right to be informed of the charges, the right to adequate time and facilities to prepare a defense, and the right against self-incrimination…“Without valid grounds to prosecute him, the Angolan authorities should reverse course and immediately drop the case.”…[Leslie Lefkow, Human Rights Watch]…The Angolan government should also drop the charges against Mavungo and Tempo…