16 September marked one year since Pensador has been arbitrarily detained. We met with his fiancé, Lemba Cahungo, who describes what an entire year, without her partner has been like.
Activist Abraão Pedro Santos, AKA Pensador (37) had everything ready and organized for his wedding ceremony in October 2023. Still, he ended up being arrested, tried and sentenced to two years and five months in prison before he could fulfill his dream, simply for joining a planned protest on 16 September 2023, in Luanda, the capital of Angola.
Pensador was not the only one to be sentenced for participating in the planned demonstration, he is part of the AGPT, the group of four activists sentenced on 19 September 2023.
Pensador’s fiancée, Lemba, received us with a smile on her face, opened the door of her home and her heart to talk about her fiancé’s arrest and the impact it had on her life. She shared what it means to dream of building a family and suddenly see everything falling apart for no reason.
Lemba begins by describing how she met Pensador in 2017, at church, but it wasn’t until three years ago that they formalized their relationship and had already set a wedding date. “My fiancé’s dream is to get married and to start a family. He always said he couldn’t wait to get home and be welcomed by his children.”
“Abraão(as she calls him) had started a law degree but was unable to continue his studies. He is very intelligent. Likes reading books and loves Pepetela (an Angolan writer). He grew up inspired by his father, who also has several books. He loves watching entertainment programs and eating, usually pasta with fish. He’s also a big fan of Azagaia (a Mozambican artist)… This is what I knew about Abraão. He never revealed to me he was an activist”.
“At the beginning of our relationship, I thought it was strange the way he dressed. He had long hair, wore military-type clothes, grew beards and wore boots. I could tell he was someone with his own ideas, but I didn’t think he was an activist. Eventually I found out a few years ago and told him that if he wanted to pursue activism, he should forget about me. He pretended to listen and even walked away from activism for a while, at least that’s what I thought”.
Pensador has been an activist since 2011, when several young people took to the streets to demand an end to the rule of former president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who at the time had been in power for 32 years.
“Those who get involved in activism in Angola risk their lives. This fear hangs over us. There was a time when the authorities were looking for activist Gangasta, it became terror. I wouldn’t want something similar to happen to someone close to me. I think activism is essential. I can’t keep quiet in situations of injustice, even in my job I often demand better working conditions. I know it’s necessary. Activists want the best for the country, but unfortunately the police always act in bad faith and the consequence is that activists are often beaten, arrested or shot”.
If Pensador was hiding about his activism, what did he say before he left the house on the morning of 16 September ? We asked.
“Abraaosaid he was going to the church to fix some speakers. Of course, he couldn’t tell the truth because I wouldn’t agree. Around 4pm, one of his friends called me to ask about Pensador(Abraao), and I said he was at the church. The friend then revealed that Pensador was arrested, and that the information was already circulating on Facebook. When I saw the news, I started shaking from head to toe. I cried bitterly, but I thought it was just a few hours’ detention and that maybe he would be released the same day, but he wasn’t.”
A group of activists had called for a demonstration on 16 September 2023, in solidarity with motorcycle taxi drivers who were being restricted from carrying out their activities on some areas of the city. For the organizers, the restrictions were unfair, and several young people could be at risk of becoming unemployed and that would contribute to the already high levels of poverty in Angola.
The demonstration had been duly communicated, but as usual, the police arrived moments before the demonstration began, and without any warrant, arrested the activists.
On 19 September 2023, Pensador and other three other activists were summarily tried, convicted and sentenced. The public prosecutor initially accused them of “outrage and injury to the President of the Republic” because one of them was holding a placard with words saying “President Joao Lourenço is incompetent”. Amid various inconsistencies and lack of evidence, the charge was changed to ‘disobedience and resisting orders.’ Witness reports and videos circulated showed that at the time of their arrest, the activists were lying on the ground, not resisting.
Without any evidence, the court sentenced AGPT to two years and fivemonths in prison and fined them 80,000.00 Kwanzas (approximately USD100 ) each. Their lawyers submitted both an appeal and complaint against the decision, but both were rejected by the court.
A curious fact, as described by the lawyer in the case, Dr. Zola Bambi, was that while still in the courtroom when the judge read out the sentence, there were only three names (Adolfo Campos, Tanaice Neutro and Gildo). Moments later, when the clerk returned to the courtroom to read the minutes of the trial, Pensador’s (Abraao Pedro dos Santos)’ name was now on the list of those convicted, and it was at that moment that Pensador discovered that he had also been convicted.
How was it like to visit Abraão for the first time in prison and how he’s doing?
“When I saw him for the first time in the prison, I started crying and he cried too as we hugged. That was the last time I touched Abraão. When I go to visit him, there’s a barrier that separates us, we stand in different places. I can’t even see his full body. The bars are so thin that your fingers can’t get through”.“We spend hours talking while standing until we run out of things to talk about. When I go to see him, I always try to bring him positive things. I tell him about the nieces he likes and that
calms him down”.
“I miss Abraão so much. He’s very intelligent, a little special box of surprises. He always has good ideas to offer, and sometimes I get lost on my own. I need him. I need to talk to him. He loves going after his dreams. All I want is for my fiancé to be released. He didn’t commit any crime. The criminals are the ones who should be locked up.”
The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are constantly being violated in Angola. Like Pensador every year there are several documented cases of injustice committed against people who decide to take to the streets and protest for their rights or those of their communities. Stand up for Pensador and three other activists who are arbitrarily detained simply for the peaceful exercise of their human rights. Sign this petition and share it on your networks using the hashtag #Freethefive #FreeAGPT.