"We are waiting for the accusations, but the culture of intimidation of anyone who wants to exercise their right as an autonomous citizen to criticize and use the street to express themselves has been too demonstrated", reads a statement, which also criticizes "the repeated deviations of the law by those who have the function of defending it".
At issue is the action of the authorities during the demonstrations on Saturday, which resulted in 87 arrests, of which 32 in Luanda and 55 in Benguela, among people who were demonstrating against the rise in fuel prices, the end of street sales and the proposal to amendment of the statutes of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
"The persistent action of TPA, JA and RNA [state television, newspaper and radio], of hiding facts, listening to only one line of opinion and, frequently, spreading lies without any concern for the contradictory and for the truth, must be denounced and corrected ", say the activists.
Therefore, they appeal "to all citizens, regardless of the party they feel closest to or the place where they work, to contribute" to freeing themselves from this "environment of repression and lies, participating, disseminating and confronting the illegality and instrumentalization of institutions".
"We call for an investigation, by independent mechanisms, under what circumstances people died, who put tires on the public road and who misused violent means, indiscriminately, in the streets where the demonstrators passed and in others that were treated as areas where enemies reside", he still defends himself.
The demonstrations, say the organizers, "are the direct result of what many citizens – in their right – consider to be policies with a complete lack of sensitivity to the social, economic and political impacts on the poorest".
Eighty-seven people were arrested during Saturday's demonstrations in Luanda and Benguela, according to the spokesman for the Angolan National Police, and should be summarily tried for crimes of riot and disobedience.
According to Jornal de Angola (JA), which cites the spokesman for the General Command of the National Police, sub-commissioner Mateus Rodrigues, 32 demonstrators were arrested in Luanda and 55 in Benguela, as part of the protests against the rise in fuel prices, end street vending and a proposal to amend the statutes of NGOs that took thousands of Angolans to the streets.
Information from activists reports detainees in other places, namely Cabinda, Bié and Huambo. Lusa contacted the National Police for further clarification, but received no response.
The protests were repressed in Luanda and Benguela with the police using tear gas and shooting at the demonstrators, which resulted in an undetermined number of injuries, including seven members of the security forces, according to the National Police.
The authorities say that there were no incidents in the other provinces.
