The SJA statement refers to the incident on Saturday involving journalists who were covering an attempted demonstration in Luanda, which was prevented by the National Police.
According to the union, the collaborator of Rádio Despertar Paulino Aurélio, who was duly identified, was taken to a police station in an "abusive" act by officers and the Lusa journalist Raquel Rio "was intimidated and forced to hand over her photographic material, which she did not do thanks to the intervention of an officer present at the scene".
According to the SJA, these acts by National Police officers are recurrent and constitute an attack on freedom of the press, under the terms of the Penal Code (article 226).
"The SJA regrets that these acts by National Police officers, which are recurrent, are not held accountable in any way by the institution of which they are part, which could mean an incentive to violate fundamental freedoms and guarantees, particularly of journalists", the document reads.
The union calls on journalists to report these acts to the police, in order to demand that the National Police officers respect the freedom of the press, enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic.
On Saturday, a group of people intended to demonstrate in the capital against the Law on Crimes of Vandalism of Public Property and Services, but the attempted protest was stopped by the police, with the arrest of dozens of activists.
The demonstration was stopped by the police, as it was not authorized, and several activists and a journalist were arrested at the meeting place, Santa Ana cemetery.
