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By Florindo Chivucute | Friends of Angola
Luanda, September 23, 2025
A coalition of Angolan and international civil society organizations has called on United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to urgently establish an Independent Fact-Finding Mission to investigate the massacre that took place in Angola from July 28–30, 2025.
According to the joint open letter, the violence occurred during peaceful demonstrations against fuel price increases. Reports indicate that at least 30 civilians were killed, more than 177 injured, and over 1,500 arbitrarily detained after Angolan security forces used disproportionate force, including live ammunition, against unarmed protesters
The letter, signed by Omunga, Mudei, Associação Justiça, Paz e Democracia (AJPD), Handeka, the World Jurist Association Human Rights Institute and Friends of Angola (FoA), describes the crackdown as a gross violation of fundamental human rights and international law, potentially rising to the level of crimes against humanity.
Pattern of Abuse and Impunity
The organizations stress that the massacre is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic pattern of state violence. They cite previous cases, including:
- The Mount Sumi killings in Huambo (2015), where activists allege more than 1,000 deaths,
- The Cafunfo massacre in Lunda Norte (2021), with at least 100 reported dead,
- Deadly crackdowns during strikes and protests in Cambambe (2022), Huambo (2023), and Luanda (2020)
Human rights groups such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and several local human rights groups have repeatedly documented arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, and extrajudicial killings by Angolan security forces. Despite international concern, no perpetrators have been held accountable.
Why UN Action is Urgent
Angola is not a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), creating a significant gap in accountability. Universal jurisdiction by foreign courts remains unlikely due to political and practical barriers.
The coalition argues that a UN Fact-Finding Mission is the only viable accountability mechanism, capable of:
- Preserving evidence before it disappears,
- Providing international legitimacy and credibility,
- Sending a deterrent signal to prevent future abuses,
- Building the foundation for eventual justice
They also note precedents where the UN has acted in non-ICC member states such as Myanmar, Syria, and most recently Sudan.
Specific Recommendations
The signatories are urging the UN to:
- Establish a Fact-Finding Mission with a mandate to document violations from July 2025, identify perpetrators, and preserve evidence.
- Include experts in international criminal law, forensics, human rights, security forces, and gender-based violence.
- Investigate the broader pattern of repression since at least 2015 to demonstrate the systematic nature of violations.
- Proceed even without Angola’s full cooperation, citing precedents from Syria and Myanmar.
International Momentum
The call comes as Angola currently holds the chairmanship of the African Union, placing additional political pressure on its leadership. The United States has already imposed sanctions on former Angolan officials under the Global Magnitsky Act, highlighting growing international concern.
Civil society organizations emphasize that the victims and their families deserve truth, justice, and reparations. They warn that silence and delay will only embolden perpetrators and deepen impunity.
“The World Is Watching”
In closing, the letter delivers a stark reminder to the UN:
“The victims of the July 2025 massacre, their families, and the people of Angola deserve nothing less than our unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and accountability.”
Press Contact:
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