On January 5, 2024, the Angolan national police placed human rights lawyer Zola Ferreira Bambi under house arrest without a court order. Zola Ferreira Bambi is the president of Angola’s Observatory of Social Cohesion and Justice, well-known for his work defending human rights defenders. On the same morning, Bambi was due to represent activist Laurinda Gouveia along with her husband, who had been detained during a peaceful demonstration on March 31, 2023. Bambi was eventually taken against their will to the police station where he remained until the trial of activist Laurinda Gouveia had started, preventing Bambi from acting as her legal representative. Front Line Defenders condemns the continuous threats, harassment, and surveillance against human rights defender Bambi.

Learn more here.