T he year 2007 was not very promising for the media in Angola in comparison to the previous year. The state continued to dominate the media communications system in a significant way, showing total disregard to the terms contained in the Press Law. The efforts to create new dynamics in this context did not advance, not even after severe pressures put by journalists’ associations and political parties. The Minister of Social Communication Manuel Rabelais had promised the Unita Deputies that the subject would be addressed within the year, but no move was made. The year was marked by various journalists’ detentions. Graça Campos, director of the weekly newspaper Angolense was accused of abusing media freedom by the Justice Ombudsman, Pablo Tchipilca, and sentenced to eight months imprisonment and US$2 000 fine. The conviction irked the journalist fraternity and they appealed against the verdict. Another journalist, the correspondent of the Radio Ecclesia, Mr. Armando Chicoca, was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment having been accused of stirring civil disobedience in the Namibe province. The summary judgment was delivered five days following his detention. In the same year Fernando Lelo, who in 2006 had his share of trouble in Cabinda, was detained again. This time the detention was not because of his involvement with the Voice of America as was previously the case, but because of several other cases pending against him. He had been working in an oil field in the enclave when he was allegedly removed by elements from the President of the Republic’s Military House and deported to Luanda. He is currently detained at the provincial Military Judicial District. Still in Cabinda, part-time journalist and activist Raul Danda, formerly involved in the national radio of Angola, was imprisoned following accusations of carrying out a hostile propaganda campaign against the authorities. A few more cases of harassment against journalists are noted. Juvenis Paulo from the capital was subjected to physical and verbal abuse when he was on duty preparing a report for the Comboio de Luanda. José Kaliengue from the Angolense Weekly paper also had a similar experience when he was trying to photograph an event that involved the national body of firemen in Luanda. A photographer of the Andar o País team, that was doing a report on the various provinces of Angola, was assaulted when he was photographing a place in the provincial capital, Lubango. Besides Luanda, the situation in the interior parts of Angola as regards to social communication system has not changed. Journalists are bound to the political system and their access to information is limited to the official press releases or to the notes from the ruling party, the MPLA. A positive trend is seen only in the province of Benguela, where even the Provincial Radio, bound to the RNA, gives voice to all political-partisan trends. The country witnessed some changes in the public media during the year with the nomination of new directors for the National Radio, the Public Television of Angola, the Angop and the Jornal de Angola. Government and Media Relationship Much needs to be done to improve the Government-media relationship. Although the National Council of Social Communication (CNCS) intends to increase private media participation in So This Is Democracy? 2007 -16- Media Institute of Southern Africa