The Universal Periodic Report (UPR) on the promotion and protection of human rights in Angola was approved on Thursday on 19 March, unanimously by 101 states involved in Human Rights Council.
During the 28th session of the Human Rights Council, held in Geneva, Switzerland, at the final adoption of the Universal Periodic Report on Human Rights, 15 States and four non-governmental organizations intervened on the presented report, according to a press release that reached ANGOP.
In his speech, the Angolan Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Rui Mangueira, made an approach on the 34 recommendations rejected by the Republic of Angola.
According to him, Angola “took good note in relation to the 34 rejected recommendations” and these recommendations” will continue to deserve, during the next four years, the due attention and consideration in Angola”.
The rejected recommendations pertaining to the establishment of a National Institution of Human Rights in accordance with the Paris Principles, at the open invitation to all Special Rapporteurs to visit Angola, the Adherence to the partnership on the Transparency Initiative in the Extractive industry (EITI), the ratification of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide Crimes, the Ratification of the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court and the Decriminalization of libel, slander and defamation.
Regarding the Establishment of a National Human Rights Institution in accordance with the Paris Principles, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights explained that the “Statute Angola’s Ombudsman is in accordance with the Paris Principles in respect of skills, responsibilities and Constitutional forecast, a National Human Rights Institution, as a public and independent entity, whose main objective is to defend the Rights, Freedoms and guarantees of citizens by ensuring through informal means, justice and legality in public administration”.
About the open invitation to all Special Rapporteurs to visit Angola, the Minister enlightened that the country is committed to strengthening cooperation with the International human rights mechanisms and at the Government invitation, the Special Rapporteurs for Human Rights Defenders, on Freedom of Religion and Belief and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and two United Nations High Commissioners for Human Rights visited Angola”.
He reiterated the invitation to the Special Rapporteur for the Human Rights of Migrants and the Special Rapporteur for Adequate Housing to visit Angola this year.
Regarding the Adherence to the partnership on the Transparency Initiative in the Extractive Industry (EITI), the official said it is being reviewed by a working group established by the Presidential Dispatch 239/14 of 22 December.
According to the minister, the Ratification of the Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Genocide Crimes is being analyzed with regard to mechanism and obligations imposed for the adherence and implementation and under the Justice Reform and the current Law, the rights protected in the Constitution will be safeguarded in domestic ordinary legislation, through the Criminal Code.
Concerning the Ratification of the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court, the minister stated that Angola signed this legal instrument and its ratification is under consideration.
However, the official said that “the Republic of Angola endorses the African Union position on the International Criminal Court”.
About the decriminalization of libel, slander and defamation, the Minister said that “the Angolan State considers that freedom of expression is a fundamental right enshrined in Article 40 of its Constitution in conjunction with Law No 7/06 of 15 May, the Press Law, as well as other international legal instruments ratified by the Angolan State, highlighting the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and paragraph 3 of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, provided that it does not violate the respect for the honour, good name, reputation, image and private life of citizens”.
He added that the “limitation foreseen by law only aims at protecting the interest of the injured/offended citizens, the honour and good name. Hence, it cannot be interpreted as intent of the Government to violate or restrict the right to freedom of expression in these cases, as in other legal systems”.
Fifteen member states took part in the session, namely Angola, China, Cuba, Norway, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Russia, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kuwait, Lao, Portugal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Sri Lanka, which praised the report and the progress made in this area.