Africans Rising Demands Immediate Release And Urgent Medical Care Of Activist Tanaice Neutro

By Samuel Ouma

Africans Rising for Unity, Justice, Peace, and Dignity has condemned the inhumane manner the Angolan authorities have subjected activist Tanaice Neutro.

On January 13, 2022, Gilson da Silva Moreira alias Tanaice Neutro, an activist and musician from Angola, was arbitrarily arrested and detained concerning the videos he recorded and posted on social media where he allegedly called the Angolan President a 'clown' and said the government authorities were "ignorant".

“Tanaice is popularly known for using "Kuduro" a type of Angolan music to express his opinion on social issues such as inequality, corruption, bad governance and poverty. The arbitrary detention of this activist is in itself a violation of human rights,” said the Africans Rising in a statement.

Following his arrest in January 2022, the court sentenced him to a 15-month in October of the same year and subsequently ordered his immediate release due to his ill-health, which is yet to happen.

“It has been 8 months since the judge ordered his immediate release. We are gravely concerned about Tanaice’s state of health. The denial by government authorities to have him access and receive proper medical care amounts to torture, inhumane and degrading treatment,” the movement added.

“We are therefore demanding for the immediate and unconditional release of Tanaice Neutro as per the court order and further call on the Angolan authorities to urgently grant him access to adequate medical care.”

At the same time, Africans Rising raised concern about the increase of repressive measures against activists, human rights defenders and all those exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in that country.

It urged Angolan authorities to avoid criminalizing opposing views, respect the right to freedom, and allow dissenting voices to collaborate to develop a robust democracy and the rule of law.