Angola: Journalists Arrested during Forced Evictions

Angola: Journalists Arrested during Forced Evictions Amnesty International is gravely concerned about recent reports of forced evictions in the neighbourhood of Iraque in the Angolan capital of Luanda, as well as the unlawful detention of two journalists during these forced evictions. [...] The organization renews its calls on the government of Angola to immediately stop forced evictions and asks the authorities to respect and ensure the protection of the right to freedom of expression. [...] The majority of the forced evictions in the area have been carried out by employees of the Jardim do Éden construction company, protected by private security guards and the national police. [...] On the morning of Wednesday 28 November 2007, two journalists, António Cascais, who works as a freelancer for the German radio station Deutsche Welleand Alexandre Neto of the Angolan Radio Despertar, went to the Iraque neighbourhood after receiving reports of the excessive use of force by police and private security guards during forced evictions. [...] When they arrived in the area at about 10.30 am they encountered a group of angry residents whose homes were being demolished by members of the Jardim do Éden company protected by members of the military police and a private security company.