In a press release, the non-governmental human rights organization claims to have documentary evidence that "members of the Rapid Intervention Police and the Criminal Investigation Service repressed similar protests held in Luanda" on July 12, during which at least two people were seriously injured and 17 others were arrested.
"The police must refrain from violating the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including through the use of unnecessary and excessive force against protesters, as was seen in previous protests, including on July 12, when some protesters were arbitrarily detained and others were injured due to the unlawful use of force by the police," said Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Campaigns Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, quoted in the statement.
"The Angolan authorities must immediately open an independent, thorough, and impartial investigation into the allegations of human rights violations committed by members of the Angolan police and hold the perpetrators accountable in fair trials."
"The authorities must also refrain from intimidating and harassing those exercising their right to peaceful assembly," concluded Vongai Chikwanda.
On the 12th, in response to the call for the demonstration by civil society organizations such as the Movimento Fúria 99, the Angolan Student Movement, the opposition party União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA), and other organizations, "thousands of people joined" the event.
The demonstration was planned to begin in São Paulo Square and end in Maianga Square, in front of the National Assembly in Luanda, but was interrupted by the police, Amnesty International explains.
