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Luanda, Angola — August 3, 2025
Amnesty International has called on Angolan authorities to launch an independent and impartial investigation into the deaths of 22 individuals during a national taxi drivers’ strike that began on July 29, 2025. The organization condemned what it described as the excessive and lethal use of force by state security agents against largely unarmed protesters.
The unrest was sparked by the government’s abrupt removal of long-standing fuel subsidies, triggering a surge in diesel prices and severely impacting Angola’s informal transport sector. The move provoked widespread outrage among candongueiros—independent taxi drivers—who rely on affordable fuel for their livelihoods. In response, the National Union of Taxi Drivers organized a work stoppage, resulting in transport disruption and road blockades across major cities including Luanda, Huambo, and Benguela.
Initially peaceful, the protests escalated after the deployment of police and military units. While officials cited incidents of looting and property damage, multiple eyewitness accounts and civil society reports describe the state response as indiscriminate and disproportionately violent. Allegations include use of live ammunition, warrantless home raids, and mass arrests. Authorities confirmed at least 22 fatalities, 197 injuries, and the detention of over 1,200 individuals.
Rights groups say the crackdown reflects a longstanding pattern of impunity within Angola’s law enforcement institutions. Previous reports have documented systematic abuses—including violent suppression of peaceful protests and intimidation of civil society groups—without meaningful accountability. A recent publication by Human Rights Watch highlighted the state’s repeated failure to investigate police violence, citing growing public mistrust in rule-of-law mechanisms.
Legal analysts and international observers have raised alarm over Angola’s apparent violations of both constitutional guarantees and international human rights obligations, including protections for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Experts warn that the government’s approach risks entrenching authoritarian practices and silencing critical dissent.
Amnesty International has demanded the immediate release of all individuals detained solely for peaceful protest, reparations for victims and families, and criminal accountability for security personnel responsible for unlawful killings and misconduct. Without substantive reform, the organization warns, Angola remains vulnerable to cycles of state-led violence and democratic erosion.
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