“The Angolan government is using the courts to silence activists who express their views in print or through peaceful protests. As Rafael Marques de Morais’s profoundly flawed trial shows, Angola’s judiciary has failed to stop these abuses of state power,” Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said in a statement.
Initially, Marques faced nine charges for his book "Blood Diamonds: Corruption and Torture in Angola." According to HRW, his trial was marked by serious rights violations, including not being told the charges and not having adequate time and facilities to prepare his defense.
Angola is a large diamond producer in both value and volume. The industry, started about a century ago, has begun a revival since 2002 after the country’s vicious civil war ended. Despite an official end to the conflict, journalists and rights groups continue to report violations of mine workers' rights.
According to HRW’s 2015 World Report on Angola, the country’s authorities have intensified repressive measures in recent years, including restrictions on fundamental human rights. The government is accused of severely limiting freedom of expression by targeting media reporters and rights activists with unfair lawsuits, arrests and trials.
Another watchdog, Amnesty International, said earlier this year that there were serious concerns about political freedom in Angola as local laws were mostly designed to facilitate the authority of government.
