Speaking to Lusa, David Já stated that the Muslims, the majority from Guinea-Conakry, "did not try to invade" the operational squadron of the Foreign Migration Service (SME), but that they were only seeking clarification on the reasons for the arrests of your brothers.
"On that Friday, Muslim believers were leaving the mosque and then each one was going to his destination, but unfortunately they were stopped by police officers a few meters from the mosque and the others realized that the brothers had been arrested and rushed to the post of the SME", said the official.
The arrests of Muslim believers took place on 30 June, at Zango 4, in the municipality of Viana, as they were leaving a service at the mosque in that district.
David Já mentioned that the presence of police and SME personnel around mosques "has been recurrent on Fridays", which "set up barricades waiting for Muslims", who after being "detained are released in exchange for some values".
"There was no invasion, they went to the police station after leaving prayer", stressed the head of Consia, signaling, at the same time, that the action of the SME is routine to verify the migratory situation of foreign citizens.
"The police have to do their part, but we also condemn our brothers for having gone to the police, there was no invasion because they did not go there with acts of vandalism, they were just looking to find out" why they were arrested, concluded David Já.
Consia, in a statement signed by its national leader, Altino da Conceição Miguel, also "disapproved and repudiated" the activity of Muslims who went to the police station in search of satisfaction, urging respect for the authorities and institutions of the Angolan State.
At least four foreign citizens, detained following the acts, namely three Guineans and a Sierra Leonean, were tried and on 7 July we summarily sentenced them to an effective sentence of one year in prison.
According to the police, the convicts were detained for "invading" the SME post to rescue two Guinean citizens, detained hours before in the vicinity of the mosque, because they were undocumented.
The spokesman for the Directorate of Investigation of Illicit Penalties of the National Police, Quintino Ferreira, told Lusa that citizens tried to harass the work of the SME.
"These were arrested and forwarded to the court where they were judged and four were sentenced to an effective sentence of one year in prison and payment of a fine of 500,000 kwanzas", he explained.
Quintino Ferreira also noted that two of the convicts could be repatriated, at the end of their sentence, "if they cannot prove their legal stay in the country".
Consia suggests that the Angolan police authorities avoid operations related to migrants on Fridays, as it is a day of worship and general prayer for Muslims, especially around mosques.
It also advises Muslims to contact the Consia in case of violation of religious freedom and recommends calm and serenity to everyone and especially convicted Muslims, promising to ask for the pardon of the sentence.
