In a repudiation note, to which Agência Lusa had access, the NGO expresses concern about the denunciations it has received, in recent times, of kidnapping of members of civil society when they are addressing demonstrations, the last one occurred in Luanda, with three activists.
In the document, Friends of Angola (FoA) underlines that it was "with great indignation" that they learned about the kidnapping, on the 13th of this month, of activists Laurinda Gouveia, Latino and Rui, on their way to Largo da Igreja Sagrada Família, to participate in a vigil in solidarity with Inocêncio de Matos, a young man killed during the protests of 11 November, in Luanda.
According to the note, the activists were taken - "for possible assassination" - to the outskirts of the municipality of Icolo and Bengo, which is 72 kilometers from the capital city, an action they consider to be "a serious violation of the right to demonstrate and to meet as enshrined in article 47 of the Constitution of the Republic".
According to the note, also in the provinces of Benguela and Huambo, FoA received denunciations of kidnapping of members of civil society as they were heading for the demonstration called for November 11.
"FoA believes that there is no democracy, peace, development and the rule of law without freedom of expression, as well as freedom of demonstration and assembly," the document stresses.
The NGO recalls that the government "offers its citizens this serious violation of human rights", 30 days away from celebrating the 72nd anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, which outlines the basic human rights, adopted by the United Nations on 10 December 1948.
The organization notes that the National Police must guarantee "the safety of citizens and must not engage in murder practices," adding that the video shows "clearly that the officers of the National Police wanted to murder the activists in reference.
For the FoA, the video "serves as more than enough evidence for the Attorney General's Office to begin its investigative work on the action.
"The FoA encourages all Angolans, so that, aware of a free and safe nation, they will continue to be practitioners of a culture of peace and supporters of freedom of expression and respect for the right to demonstrate and assemble, as well as continue to fight for a better Angola," reads the note.
