The Hague, 12 August 2010 – The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) condemn the Angolan government and judiciary’s arbitrary and groundless imprisonment of several prominent human rights activists in Cabinda who were sentenced using fabricated allegations and without due process.

UNPO General Secretary Marino Busdachin stated that the recent events in Angola demonstrated  ‘Luanda’s disturbing lack of commitment to democracy and human rights – proving once again that Cabinda remains mired in inequality and Angola remains unwilling to resolve the deep problems within Cabinda’

These arrests show that while indices for democracy and good governance in Angola have been gradually improving in recent years, actions of this sort, whereby peaceful political activists are targeted, will only intensify tensions between Cabinda and the Angolan authorities. .   

Mr. Busdachin expressed his hope that the Angolan government and its judiciary “will reassess their actions, in line with international human rights agreements and their obligation as the protectors of those human right activists they have let down.”

The UNPO therefore calls on the international community to universally condemn the incarceration of these peaceful human right activists as tantamount to an attack on freedom itself and urges the Angolan authorities to release the jailed activists without delay.