Dear Minister Marcy Cláudio Lopes,
I am writing to express concern over the continued unlawful detention of activist Serrote José de Oliveira, also known as General Nila. General Nila was arrested on 28 July 2025 in Luanda, on the first day of the taxi drivers’ strike. At the time of his arrest, he was on his way to the hospital to visit a relative while documenting on social media, the first day of the strikes and warning people to stay at home.
Since then, authorities have continued to deprive him of his liberty in circumstances that violate his rights to liberty and due process. General Nila is being investigated in relation to an alleged vandalism related offence, yet he has not been formally charged. The authorities have not disclosed, in a clear and transparent manner, the legal basis for his continued detention, the specific allegations against him, or the evidence relied upon.
This lack of transparency, combined with the prolonged deprivation of liberty without formal charges, renders his detention arbitrary. This case is further compounded by the fact that the indictment appears to rely on provisions of a law that Angola’s Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional in December 2025.
Continuing to detain someone on the basis of provisions struck down by the Constitutional Court undermines the rule of law and raises serious questions about the legality of the proceedings. Angola’s Constitution and Angola’s international human rights obligations require that any deprivation of liberty is lawful, necessary, proportionate, and subject to effective judicial oversight.
Detention must not be used as punishment and no one should be detained without trial. Any criminal proceedings must meet international fair trial standards, including full respect for the rights of the defense. I therefore urge you to take immediate action and to ensure that the competent authorities:
Release General Nila immediately and disclose, without delay, the legal basis and evidence that have been used to justify his detention.
Pending his release, the authorities must also remove any restrictions on his legal defense, including ensuring unhindered access to legal counsel and the case file, so that the legality of his detention can be effectively challenged.
Yours sincerely,