By AI

URGENT ACTION
WHEREABOUTS OF community activist UNKNOWN

Joaquim Costa Zangui, the National Youth Secretary of the Democratic Bloc, was abducted by unknown men on 12 August. He went missing a day after he had presided over the electoral process to elect the new Residential Commission President in Massaque, Viana Municipality, Angola. His whereabouts remain unknown.

Community activist, Joaquim Costa Zangui, better known as Lutambi, was abducted by unknown men on 12 August while on his way to a meeting. The previous day, Joaquim had mobilised Massaque residents to elect a new president for their Residential Commission. A law student and primary school teacher with knowledge of the residential commissions law, the commission had sought Joaquim’s assistance in organizing and officiating the election for a new Residential Commission president. The Residential Commission represents the residents and acts as the liaison between the residents and the municipality government.

After the election, the newly elected Massaque Residential Commission president invited Joaquim to join their executive committee. Joaquim was abducted at around 3 pm while on his way to meet the Massaque Residents Commission to inform them that he would take up the position after getting authorisation from the leadership of the Democratic Bloc.

Joaquim Costa Zangui is the National Youth Secretary of the Democratic Bloc, one of Angola’s smaller opposition political parties.

There are concerns that Joaquim Costa Zangui may have been subjected to enforced disappearance. Angola has a poor human rights records in which political opposition members and dissidents have in the past be subjected to enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrests and arbitrary detention.

Please write immediately in Portuguese or English or your own language:
ν Calling on the authorities to immediately conduct an independent and thorough investigation into the whereabouts of Joaquim Costa Zangui and ensure that all those suspected of criminal responsibility for his disappearance are brought to justice in a fair trial.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 27 SEPTEMBER 2018 TO:

Advisor to the Minister of Police
Dr. Armindo Feliciano Aurélio
Ministry of Police
Luanda, Angola
Fax – +244 222 393 538
Email: [email protected]

Salutation: Your Excellency
Copies to:
Ambassador
Rui Jorge Carneiro Mangueira
Embassy of Angola
46 Bedford Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DP, UK
Fax: +44 20 7486 9397
Email: [email protected]

Ambassador
Agostinho Tavares
2100-2108 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Fax: +1 202 822 9049