Angola: Authorities must respect and ensure the right to freedom of peaceful assembly

Angolan authorities must respect and ensure the right of peaceful assembly and guarantee that nationwide protests planned for 19 and 26 July against high cost of living, are facilitated and protected, said Amnesty International.

The organization has documented how members of the Rapid Intervention Police and the Service for Criminal Investigation repressed similar protests held in Luanda, on 12 July where at least two people were critically injured, and 17 others were arrested.

“Police must refrain from violating the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including through the use of unnecessary and excessive force against protestors as witnessed in past protests, including on 12 July, where some of the protesters were arbitrarily arrested and others injured following unlawful use of force by the police,” said Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns in East and Southern Africa.

“Angolan authorities must immediately open independent, thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations of human rights violations committed by members of the Angola Police and to bring the perpetrators to account in a fair trial”.

“Authorities must refrain from harassing and intimidating those who exercise their right of peaceful assembly”.

Background

Members from civil society organizations, such as Movement Fúria 99, from the Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and from the Angola Students Movement called for a two-day protest on 12 and 19 July 2025, following high fuel and transportation costs. On 12 July, thousands of people joined the protest, which was planned to start at the São Paulo Square and to end at the Maianga Square, in front of the National Assembly, in Luanda. The protest was impeded by the Police.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.