The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Angola.
New information:
According to the information received, Ms. Sarah Wykes was officially notified on March 15, 2007 that her appeal to leave the country had been granted by the Attorney General on the condition that she returns to Angola upon request of the judicial authorities.
She travelled back to the United Kingdom on March 19, 2006.
However, the charges against her remain pending. These charges, including an alleged violation of Article 26 of the Angolan Law relating to crimes against national security, have only been notified to her orally.
The Observatory wishes to thank all the persons, organisations and institutions who intervened in favour of Ms. Wykes, but calls for the lift of all charges against her, as they aim at sanctioning her human rights activities and are therefore arbitrary.
Background information:
On February 18, 2007, Ms. Wykes was arrested by the police in Cabinda. At 4 am, police officers came to her hotel room, and seized a number of her personal belongings, including her passport, a digital camera, two pen drives and a notebook. As the policemen did not have any warrant, Ms. Wykes refused to follow them. As a result, she was formally arrested and brought to the police station.
She then spent the night in jail and was brought to court on February 19, 2007, without being allowed to meet her lawyer.
Ms. Wykes had arrived in Angola on February 11, 2006 to meet with civil society and local authorities to discuss the process of transparency in oil revenues in Angola. The Angolan authorities were fully aware of the visit of Ms. Wykes and had granted her a visa.
On February 21, 2007, Ms. Sarah Wykes was released on a bail of 180,000 kwanzas (approx. $US 2,000). However, her passport, which was confiscated when she was arrested, had not been returned to her.
On February 28, 2007, she was given permission to leave Cabinda and to return to the capital Luanda, on condition that she would report to the police every two days. She had not been authorised to travel back to the United Kingdom.
Action requested:
Please write to the Angolan authorities urging them to:
i. Drop all the charges brought against Ms. Wykes, as they are arbitrary;
ii. Put an end to all acts of harassment against human rights defenders;
iii. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its article 1, which states that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" and article 12.2, which states that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration";
iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Angola.
Addresses:
· Mr. José Eduardo dos Santos, President of the Republic, Futungo de Belas, Luanda, Republic of Angola, c/o Ambassador Mr. Arcanjo Maria Do Nascimento, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Angola to the United Nations in Geneva, 45-47 rue de Lausanne, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland, Tel: +41 22 732 30 60 / 30 63. Fax: +41 22 732 30 72 / 41 22 731 51 62 E-mail: ambmission.angolas@bluewin.ch
· Ambassador, Mr. Toco Siero, Embassy of the Republic of Angola in Brussels, 182 rue Franz Merjay, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium. Fax : + 32 2.344.08.94 / + 32 2.345.39.78
· Mr. Manuel Miguel da Costa Aragão, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, Rua 17 Setembro, Luanda, Republic of Angola, Fax: +244 222 330 327 / 222 33 81 75
· Mr. Pascoal Joaquim, Provincial Prosecutor General of Cabinda, Fax: +244 231 222415
· Dr. Augusto da Costa Carneiro, Prosecutor General of the Republic, Procuradoria Geral da República, Rua 17 Setembro, Luanda, Republic of Angola, Fax: + 244 222 333 170 / 172
· General Roberto Leal Monteiro, Minister of the Interior, Ministério do Interior, Avenida 4 Fevereiro No. 106, Luanda, República de Angola, Fax: +244 222 39 51 33 / +244 222 33 17 34 / +244 222 39 12 92
· Dr. Augusto da Costa Carneiro, Attorney General, Rua 17 de Setembro, Luanda, Republica de Angola
Please also write to the diplomatic representations of Angola in your respective countries.
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Paris - Geneva, March 21, 2007
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail : Appeals@fidh-omct.org
Tel et fax FIDH : + 33 1 43 55 55 05 / 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel et fax OMCT : +41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29