Observación (CEACR) - Adopción: 2025, Publicación: 114ª reunión CIT (2026)

Convenio sobre la abolición del trabajo forzoso, 1957 (núm. 105) - Angola (Ratificación : 1976)

Article 1(a) of the Convention. Imposition of penal sanctions involving compulsory labour as a punishment for expressing political views or views ideologically opposed to the established political, social or economic system. Referring to its previous comments on the provisions of the Penal Code, under which penal sanctions involving compulsory prison labour (by virtue of sections 13 and 50(c) of the Regulations of the progressive regime of 9 July 1981) may be imposed for the offences of defamation, slander and libel (sections 213, 214, 215 and 217) and insulting the Republic or the President of the Republic (section 333), the Committee notes with regret the lack of information from the Government on any measures taken to bring the provisions of the national legislation into line with the Convention.

The Committee notes that, in the context of the 2025 Universal Periodic Review, the United Nations country team noted that the police engaged in arbitrary arrests without due process, targeting individuals involved in or planning anti-government protests. It also noted that many institutions were alarmed by the arbitrary arrest and prosecution and penal sanctions targeting human rights defenders, journalists and protesters, who were frequently prosecuted for defamation, incitement to rebellion and insulting the President (A/HRC/WG.6/48/AGO/2 and A/HRC/WG.6/48/AGO/3, November 2024). More specifically, in July 2025, following protests in Angola, the spokesperson for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the Government to guarantee the full enjoyment of the rights to life, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and to release any individuals who had been arbitrarily detained (OHCHR, press release, 31 July 2025).

The Committee notes this information with concern. The Committee urges the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that no prison sentence involving compulsory labour may be imposed, either in law or in practice, on persons who peacefully express political views or views ideologically opposed to the established political, social or economic system. It requests the Government to: (i) review the provisions of the Penal Code establishing the offences of defamation, slander, libel and insulting the Republic or the President of the Republic (sections 213, 214, 215, 217 and 333), to ensure compliance with the Convention; and (ii) indicate the number of prosecutions brought under each of these provisions, the facts giving rise to these prosecutions and the type of sanctions imposed.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.