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On 1 July 2025, during the 59th session of the Human Rights Council, the Universal Periodic Review of Angola was adopted. The statement delivered by ISHR, in partnership with Kutakesa, highlighted the recent adoption of legislation jeopardising the freedom of assembly and association and imposing risks on the work of human rights defenders in Angola.
The statement delivered by Maria Lùcia Silveira acknowledged the acceptance of recommendations related to the rights of defenders and the protection of freedom of assembly and association by the government of Angola. However, it deplored that Angola only noted the recommendations calling on authorities not to adopt legislation that seeks to restrict freedom of peaceful assembly and association. Following the non-acceptance of those recommendations, the government of Angola recently approved the Presidential decree 214/24, which not only represents a threat to the work of human rights defenders but also violates constitutional and international human rights standards. The statement highlighted that the decree, in its articles 4, 13, 14, and 15, imposes generalised, disproportionate, and highly intrusive measures on all non-profit organisations, thereby reducing the effectiveness of their work.
For a realignment to international standards on the protection of the rights of defenders and the protection of freedom of assembly and association, ISHR recommended that Angola:
Following this review, the recommendations accepted by the Human Rights Council will serve as a basis to guide Angola in protecting the rights at risk, and most importantly, in complying with internationally recognised standards.
Watch the full statement below:
The undersigned organisations express concern over the censorship of civil society through the cancellation of the side event co-sponsored by ISHR, Front Line Defenders, Hegoa and the Working Group on Human Rights in Occupied Western Sahara, titled "Ending the Silence on the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in Western Sahara".
ISHR has filed an amicus curiae brief before Ecuador’s Constitutional Court, arguing that the Organic Law on Social Transparency imposes sweeping registration requirements, financial oversight and reporting obligations, and other burdens that unduly restrict civil society organisations and undermine the right to freedom of association.
ISHR responded to the UN Human Rights Committee’s call for input regarding a draft General Comment on Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on the right to freedom of association, focusing on the rights of human rights defenders and civil society’s engagement with multilateral fora.
