Angola: Amnesty International urges Member States to participate in the Universal Periodic Review of Angola

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC STATEMENT AI Index: AFR 12/003/2010 29 January 2010 Angola: Amnesty International urges Member States to participate in the Universal Periodic Review of Angola Angola will be reviewed by the Working Groups of the UN Human Rights Council (The Council) under its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism on 12 February 2010. [...] Amnesty International calls on Member States to take an active part in the review and to make concrete, meaningful and measurable recommendations. [...] Amnesty International urges Member States to make the following recommendations to the Angolan government during the UPR: Ratify all outstanding human rights treaties including:. [...] Respect and protect the work of human rights defenders and other members of civil society by ensuring that they are free to carry out their human rights activities without interference, in accordance with international human rights standards and in line with Angola’s voluntary pledges made in the context of its election to the UN Human Rights Council. [...] Amend or repeal laws which inhibit the right to freedom of expression and restrict the independence of the media, including those regarding defamation of the Head of State and public officials.