“We recognize that in the line of duty, our agents, regrettably, make mistakes, some of which culminate in the loss of human lives,” said Eugénio Laborinho, who received the leader of the Democratic Bloco political party, Filomeno Vieira Lopes.
In his initial intervention, Eugénio Laborinho said that “whenever circumstances require it” investigation, investigation, disciplinary and criminal processes have been initiated against those involved, whose measures are applied according to the specific cases.
“That’s why we have in the country’s penitentiary establishments staff convicted of committing military and common crimes, in addition to those who were sanctioned with expulsion from the corporation for misconduct”, said Eugénio Laborinho, highlighting that in 2023 46 staff were expelled and, in the first half of this year, another 32.
According to the minister, the Ministry of the Interior and its different bodies are committed to respecting the Federal Constitution, as well as promoting and defending human rights and the exercise of citizenship.
The official highlighted that the Ministry of the Interior is a strategic partner of civil society, in the context of maintaining public order and security, counting on the support of the Democratic Bloc in actions to raise awareness among citizens, “so that they refrain from committing acts of disobedience authorities, physical aggression, vandalization of public property and damage to private property.”
“In our view, political parties should not be vehicles or instigators of acts that alter public order, nor should they promote hatred, slander and defamation against public and private entities”, he declared.
Filomeno Vieira Lopes requested a hearing, before August 31st, the date on which a demonstration was scheduled to take place, to the Minister of the Interior to question the behavior of the Police.
The leader of the Democratic Bloc, a political party that is part of the United Patriotic Front (FPU), a platform that is part of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and Abel Chivukuvuku's political project, PRA-JA Servir Angola, intended to maintain a dialogue before the demonstration, “to avoid repression instead of protective action as postulated by law”.
According to Eugénio Laborinho, it was not possible to hold the meeting earlier “due to the overlapping of unpostponable tasks”.
On Saturday, a group of people intended to demonstrate, in the capital, against the Law on Crimes of Vandalism of Public Goods and Services, but the attempted protest was blocked by the Police, with the arrest of dozens of activists.
The demonstration was interrupted by the police, as it was not authorized, and several activists and a journalist were detained at the meeting site, Santa Ana cemetery.
