UNITA Advocates General Amnesty Instead of Pardon for the Extinction of all Political Processes

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UNITA Advocates General Amnesty Instead of Pardon for the Extinction of all Political Processes
UNITA Advocates General Amnesty Instead of Pardon for the Extinction of all Political Processes

Africa-Press – Angola. The parliamentary group of UNITA, the largest Angolan opposition party, today defended, instead of a presidential pardon, a general amnesty that would extinguish “all conviction processes clearly carried out for political reasons”.

At issue is the presidential pardon decreed by the Angolan head of state, João Lourenço, within the scope of the 50th anniversary of national independence, which will be celebrated on November 11, 2025, of convicted citizens, which benefited José Filomeno dos Santos, son of the former President of Angola, José Eduardo dos Santos, four activists and a digital influencer, who will no longer serve prison sentences as of January 1.

In a press release, the parliamentary group of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) highlights that Angolans reacted differently to the announcement of the presidential pardon, considering that, as an integral part of the legislative power of the State, it considers that “such a measure should not serve as a political expedient to conceal the curtailment of political freedoms and the gross violations of the fundamental rights of Angolans, practiced by the repressive machinery of the regime led by the holder of executive power”.

For the UNITA parliamentary group, “instead of the presidential pardon that forgives or nullifies, in whole or in part, the sentences of those citizens who should never have been convicted”, a more comprehensive measure should be taken, demanding, therefore, a general amnesty for all political prisoners in the provinces of Luanda, Cabinda and other regions of the country.

The UNITA parliamentary group proposes an amnesty through a law to be approved by the National Assembly, under the Constitution of the Republic of Angola, “in order to extinguish all conviction processes clearly carried out for political reasons”.

“The Republic of Angola is a democratic state under the rule of law. As such, it cannot have political prisoners or prisoners of conscience, much less prisoners for crimes of opinion. It also cannot restrict pluralism of opinion and expression in public media outlets, nor can it protect democracy and subvert the principle of separation of powers,” he stresses.

On the other hand, the UNITA parliamentary group considers that “in a democratic state governed by the rule of law, it is not possible to release prisoners convicted of common crimes and, at the same time, keep those convicted of participatory democracy, local government and the democratic state governed by the rule of law itself imprisoned and convicted”.

As part of the country’s 50th anniversary of independence, the UNITA parliamentary group calls on the Angolan President to “finally free democracy and the State from the shackles of hegemony and authoritarianism, giving Angolans back the freedom to build a free, fair, democratic, supportive society of peace, equality and social progress”.

Last Wednesday, Christmas Day, João Lourenço granted a pardon to 51 convicts, including the son of José Eduardo dos Santos and former president of the Angolan Sovereign Fund, José Filomeno de Sousa dos Santos “Zénu”, who had been convicted with three other defendants for crimes of embezzlement, fraud and influence peddling, and digital influencer Ana da Silva Miguel “Neth Nahara”, sentenced to two years in prison for insulting the President of the Republic on TikTok.

Also covered by the pardon are activists Abrão Pedro dos Santos “Pensador”, Adolfo Miguel Campos André, Gilson da Silva Moreira “Tanaice Neutro”, Hermenegildo José Victor André “Gildo das Ruas” who have been imprisoned since September 2023 for insulting and insulting the President of the Republic when they were participating in a protest by motorcycle taxi drivers.

The pardon takes into account “the good behavior” and the “absence of social danger in the return to freedom” of the various convicts, who are detained in different provinces, the presidential decree stated.

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