Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday accused Angolan President João Lourenço of signing laws that do not comply with international human rights standards and that will severely restrict fundamental freedoms.

In a statement released on Tuesday, HRW accused João Lourenço of signing anti-human rights laws.

A non-governmental organization (NGO) has presented two laws that it considers "repressive", namely the bill on Crimes of Vandalism of Public Goods and Services, which the Angolan National Assembly approved on July 18, which provides for prison sentences of up to 25 years for people who take part in protests that result in vandalism and disruption of services.

He also pointed to the enactment by the National Assembly on August 7 of the National Security Law, which he claims allows excessive government control over the media, civil society organizations and other private institutions.

The two bills were promulgated by the Angolan President on August 29.

"The government's adoption of two repressive laws portends serious challenges to the functioning of the media and civil society groups in Angola," said Zenaida Machado, senior Africa researcher at HRW.

"The authorities must retrace their steps and repeal these new laws to protect the space for free and open media in the country," he added.

The new laws have already been criticized by national and international human rights groups, including HRW, and legal experts.

According to HRW, the Vandalism Crimes Law violates the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and the media, protected by the Angolan Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Angola ratified in 1992, as well as other international and regional human rights treaties.

The organization specifically refers to articles 8 and 15 of the Vandalism Crimes Act, which impose prison sentences of up to 15 years for people who "provide, disseminate or publish by any means information relating to security measures applicable to public goods and services".

"Article 8 defines as an offense against the security of public goods and services the simple act of recording or facilitating the recording, through analog or digital means, of photographs, videos or drawings, of the security measures of public infrastructures and services."

Article 23, on the other hand, allows the authorities to adopt "appropriate measures" to prevent the destruction and damage of public infrastructure or services, without specifying what would constitute "appropriate measures".

For the Angolan organization Associação para a Justiça, Paz e Democracia (Association for Justice, Peace and Democracy), quoted by HRW, the law gives the government powers to prosecute anyone who organizes protests against government conduct and policies.

The passing of these laws comes after the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero, urged the Angolan government and National Assembly not to adopt legislation that could be used to limit basic rights.

HRW recalls that the Angolan government has frequently enacted or attempted to enact repressive legislation over the last decade.

"The Angolan government has once again ignored the concerns of civil society groups, which sends out the message that it has no intention of stopping its attempts to limit citizens' rights," said Zenaida Machado. (zap)