I n 2014, the Angolan government continued to stifle free expression and media freedom by attempting to silence critical journalists and activists by using criminal defamation lawsuits, unjustified arrests, trials, intimidation and harassment. FREE EXPRESSION AND THE LAW Angolan government defying international law, imprisoning journalists on defamation charges In December 2014, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights handed down a powerful first judgment on press freedom in Konaté v Burkina Faso, by ruling criminal defamation laws cannot include custodial sentences or sanctions that are disproportionate, such as excessive fines. The court ordered Burkina Faso to change its criminal defamation laws and pay compensation to the applicant. The judgment is binding on African Union member States, yet the Angolan government and authorities continue to regularly use restrictive laws, such as criminal defamation laws, to exert control over the media and seek prison sentences in these cases. Furthermore, these cases and trials are frequently characterised by irregularities and unjust proceedings. For example, journalists Armando Chicoca and William Tonet each lodged appeals in 2011 against their convictions for criminal defamation, yet in 2014 those appeals had still not been heard. A long running case – also reported on in the 2013 edition of So This Is Democ- racy? – is that of investigative journalist Rafael Marques De Morais. In January 2013, De Morais was charged with filing a false complaint against a diamond mining company, private security company, and seven high-ranking generals after he wrote the book - Blood Diamonds: Corruption and Torture in Angola. The book describes human rights abuses committed by Angolan military officials and private security companies against Angolan villagers during diamond mining operations. It contains details of more than 100 killings and torture cases against civilians and small-scale miners at diamond mining fields in the Cuango region in Angola. It took a whole year for De Morais to received official details of the case, which he received in January 2014. Then, in July 2014, the seven army generals and the diamond mining company Sociedade Mineira do Cuango filed criminal libel charges against him, demanding he pay a combined US$1.2 million in damages. The case has been marked by delays, irregularities and harassment, not only toward De Morais but also witnesses. The Angolan government is clearly targeting De Morais for exercising his fundamental right of freedom of expression and they are using criminal defamation laws to try to stop important human rights reporting. As of 24 March 2015, De Morais is facing 15 libel charges, in addition to the nine charges for criminal defamation arising from the book. De Morais appeared in court on 24 March 2015, where he was expected to face the original nine charges when his lawyers notified him of the additional charges. So This is Democracy? 2014 19