Restrictive NGO Law adopted; activist sentenced to prison

Association

Restrictive NGO Law adopted

On 22nd January 2026, Angola’s National Assembly adopted the draft law on the Statute of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) (Law 2-26) despite heavy criticism by civil society and opposition party UNITA, who called the law a serious restriction on freedom of association and civic space. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), the new law grants broad powers to authorities, allowing them to authorise, monitor, suspend and financially restrict civil society.

Article 7 of the law sets up a central body responsible for the monitoring of NGOs in order, among others, to monitor and evaluate the activities of NGOs “in accordance with their programme of activities”, verifying sources of funding and to ensure that NGOs are not used for illicit activities such as money laundering, terrorism financing, money laundering or human trafficking. The body can temporarily suspend the operations of NGOs, for a period of 120 days, “where there is strong evidence of the practice of illicit acts or acts harmful to the sovereignty, security and integrity of the Republic of Angola” (article 30). Article 8 mandates all NGOs, national and foreign, to register with this body after their registration as a legal entity. Furthermore, the law obliges NGOs, in its Article 17, to submit regular reports on project implementation and maintain organised accounting records.

Law 2-26 entered into force on 2nd March 2026 and gives NGOs operating in Angola a period of 180 days to comply with the new law. Failure to do so can result in the suspension of NGOs’ operations.

HRD sentenced to prison

On 27th April 2026, the Luanda District Court sentenced activist Osvaldo Kaholo to a prison sentence of two years and six months, and a fine of 250,000 kwanzas (approximately 271 USD) for public instigation to commit a crime. As reported previously on the Monitor, Kaholo was arbitrarily detained on 19th July 2025 and accused of rebellion, public instigation to commit a crime and public vindication of a crime, reportedly linked to a live broadcast he made on social media during the July 2025 fuel hike protests. The Court acquitted the activist of two other charges of rebellion and public vindication of a crime.

Activists detained in relation to protests

According to human rights organisation Mudei, unidentified individuals, who presented themselves as officers of the Criminal Investigative Service (SIC), arbitrarily detained social activists Leonora Nkuta Kiakanda and Afonso Miguel Pedro on 4th November 2025, after invading their residence in Luanda. The detention is reportedly related to the planned anti-government protests on 11th November, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the independence of Angola (see under Peaceful Assembly). The two activists, accused of incitement to violence, insult and resistance were reportedly acquitted by the Court of Catete of charges in a summary trial on 7th November 2025. They were released the same day.

The same organisation also documented the arbitrary detention of Faustino Kamunenge and Domilde Quicassa, who were on their way to a protest in Luanda when they were intercepted by SIC agents, who confiscated their pamphlets and protest banner. They were taken to a police station in Maianga, and subjected to interrogation. Two other activists, Adilson Manuel and Tanaice Neutro, were detained on 12th November 2025 when they went to the 5th police station where Kamunenge and Quicassa were taken after being heard by the Public Prosecutor, to monitor their case. Faustino was reportedly released on 14th November, and the three others on 15th November 2025.

Peaceful Assembly

Protest against restrictive NGO law

On 14th March 2026, dozens of activists, citizens and civil society organisations gathered in the province of Benguela to protest against the restrictive NGO law, which entered into force on 2nd March 2026 (see under Association). The protest culminated in the presentation of the Declaration of Benguela, signed by dozens of activists, community leaders, and CSOs expressing deep concern about the impact of the new legislation on civic space in Angola.

Prevention protest for the release of political prisoners; three arrested

On 28th March 2026, police prevented a protest to demand the release of political prisoners, and arrested at least three people. The protesters, who are calling for the release of three HRDs– Osvaldo Caholo, Serrote de Oliveira and André Miranda – were to meet at the São Paulo Market Square, where police, including riot police, were visibly present to deter protesters. Police reportedly dispersed those who attempted to gather, claiming that the meeting point, the São Paulo Market Square, was reserved for an activity of opposition party UNITA, who held a march that day to commemorate its 60 year anniversary. The protest organisers – FURIA 99, UNTRA (Unidade Nacional para Total Revolução de Angola) and Juventude Bloquista – said they had notified local authorities of the protest.

The three detained HRDs were arrested in July 2025 in the context of the fuel price hike protests. Serrote de Oliveira, also known as General Nila, activist and leader of UNTRA, an informal movement, was first shot in the leg and detained on 28th April 2026. He remains in pretrial detention without official charges filed against him and denied medical care. André Miranda was also arrested on 28th July 2025 while filming the first day of the three-day taxi strike over the fuel price hike, and faces charges of vandalism and criminal association, but has not been brought before a court for trial. Osvaldo Kaholo, arbitrarily detained on 19th July 2025, reportedly over live broadcasts on social media, was recently sentenced to two years and six months (see under Association).

March against sexual abuse of women and children: dozens arrested

On 10th January 2026, police impeded a protest against sexual abuse of women and children in Luanda, organised by activists and civil society organisations in response to several brutal cases of sexual violence in December 2025. The square where the march was to start, Largo do Mercado de São Paulo, was reportedly surrounded by police officers and vehicles, including the canine unit, and police prevented people from gathering at the square. Over 10 people were arrested, including organisers of the march.

The protest had been authorised by the local administrative authorities, but the latter proposed another itinerary citing security reasons, from Santa Ana cemetery to Largo das Escolas, a proposal rejected by the protest organisers, who said they were unable to change the starting point of the march but were willing to negotiate the end point of the demonstration.

The march had already been postponed from 3rd January 2026, when hundreds of people who gathered were reportedly dispersed, with police citing lack of authorisation from authorities.

Similar marches were organised in Huambo and Benguela on 3rd January 2026. According to Friends of Angola, police arrested 28 people, including activist Rafael Mendonça, when they attempted to protest in Benguela.

Protest on 50th anniversary of independence impeded

On 11th November 2025, the day Angola celebrated 50 years of independence, protests were planned in Luanda to protest the lavish official celebrations planned that day in the face of persistent poverty, and to protest against 50 years of governance by the ruling party Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA). A heavy police presence reportedly impeded the protest, and police dispersed those who attempted to gather, allegedly using tear gas and firing live ammunition in the air.

Ahead of the planned protest, on 10th November 2025, police, along with unidentified individuals, reportedly interrupted a private protest preparatory meeting in Cacuaco. According to the movement FURIA-99, several activists were brutally assaulted and arrested. They were reportedly released on 11th November 2025.

Opposition report on July 2025 protests

In February 2026, opposition party União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola (UNITA) published a report on the July 2025 protests against fuel price increases, based on direct observations, testimonies of families members of victims and other citizens, and public available information. According to the report, at least 90 people were killed during the protest between 28th and 30th July 2025, and it accused security forces of having used disproportional force, including use of live ammunition against unarmed citizens, arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial killings.

According to authorities, 30 people were killed, 277 people injured and over 1,500 people were detained. Civil society organisations have called for an Independent Fact Finding Mission into the protest-related killings and other human rights abuses.

Expression

Journalist detained while preparing to cover protest

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Jornal Folha 8 journalist Hermenegildo Caculo was arbitrarily detained on 6th April 2026, while preparing equipment to cover a protest by ex-employees of Sonangol, the national oil company, in Luanda. He was reportedly taken to a covered yard of the local police station, where he slept for three nights on benches and chairs. The journalist was released without charge after a court released him on 9th April 2026, as police never officially booked his arrest.

The journalist told CPJ that prior to his detention he received a call from the police commander of the Ingombota municipality in Luanda, who told him not to interview protesters in front of the Sonangol building, threatening him that such act could be “interpreted as incitement to rebellion”. Caculo was reportedly also detained for nine hours on 1st April 2026 for seeking to cover a similar protest.

As reported previously on the Monitor, Hermenegildo Caculo had been briefly detained a year before, on 26th April 2026, while interviewing protesters at a student protest.

Digital surveillance of journalist

In February 2026, an investigation by Amnesty International’s Security Lab revealed that Predator spyware was used in 2024 to target prominent Angolan journalist and press freedom activist Texeira Cândido. Although this is the first forensic confirmation of its use in Angola, Amnesty International believes this is likely part of a larger spyware campaign in the country, and that Predator spyware has been used in Angola to target individuals since at least early 2023.

Predator is an invasive phone spyware, sold by the company Intellexa, a mercenary spyware company, for use by governments.