Angola’s judicial authorities persistence in refusing to release Carlos Manuel de São Vicente is illegal and further exposes him to a risk of death
Geneva, August 26th, 2024
On 26 June 2024, Mr. Carlos de São Vicente, even being innocent, served half the sentence of 10 years of prison he was arbitrarily convicted to by an illegal and ungrounded decision of conviction from the Luanda District Court dated 24 March 2022. This should have, according to Angolan law, led to the conditional release of a 64 year old man with four permanent chronic diseases, and who does not present any form of danger whatsoever, likely to impact the legal order or social peace.
Two months later, the Angolan ministry of Interior is still actively refusing to let the release procedure go forward and to inform Mr. Sao Vicente’s lawyers, despite their repeated requests for information, as to the reasons for such an inexplicable blockage.
This is all the more unacceptable as Mr. Sao Vicente’s repeated requests for medical treatment have been blatantly ignored or delayed. His medical condition has now become deeply concerning exposing him to severe consequences.
His health situation combined to a prolonged and unjustified detention exposes him to a direct risk of death, and in any event, to inhumane and degrading treatments, and to a violation of his right to dignity.
These latest considerations have recently been brought again to the attention of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary detention which, on November 14th, 2023, issued an Opinion urging the Angolan authorities to release Mr. Carlos de São Vicente immediately, after finding his detention arbitrary and in contravention of such gravity with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both ratified by Angola. In accordance with Article 13 of the Angolan Constitution, the Opinion is directly applicable in Angola.
All in all, if not for legal motives, Mr. Sao Vicente must be released immediately for humanitarian reasons.
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