Key issues discussed in the Angolan Ministry of Justice and the African Union Delegation annual meeting were: Angola’s national human rights strategy, election, and gender equality. The previous happenings of November 11, 2020, in Angola are the major reasons for the highlighted issues.
November 11 Protests
On November 11, 2020, Human Rights Watch reported that the Angolan police used live bullets, teargas, and dogs, to disperse a peaceful anti-government protest in Luanda. One protestor was killed in the process. Nito Alves and Laurinda Goveia, well-known activists, were also left in critical condition after being beaten by the police. A third activist, Luaty Beirao was also arbitrarily arrested.
Various social media platforms broadcasted the inhumane treatment of the protestors by the police. A live Facebook broadcast shared by Beirao showed him with a group of other protestors being stopped and searched by more than 20 officers. An unidentified man on the floor with blood coming from his head was also shown in another live video.
The meeting
Fransisco Queirós, Angola’s Minister of Justice and Human Rights spoke about the previous demonstrations at the end of the meeting.
“What hampered this dialogue between the population, the protesters, and the government was the intervention of a harmful factor, a political factor. Because there were those who took advantage of this situation to make political claims of another nature that have nothing to do with social issues,” he said.
Among those in attendance was Jeannette Seppen, the European Union Ambassador in Angola. She acknowledged that the pandemic posed challenges for everyone, including hindering freedom of movement and of expression. However, she urges respect for freedoms.
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