In a move marking the 50th anniversary of Angola’s independence, President Joao Lourenco has issued a series of pardons, releasing 51 prisoners including Jose Filomeno dos Santos, the son of former President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, and several political activists, Bloomberg reports.
The pardons, announced late Wednesday, also included a popular TikToker, Ana da Silva Miguel, who was imprisoned for insulting the president.
Jose Filomeno dos Santos, known as Zenu, was serving a five-year sentence for his alleged role in the embezzlement of $500 million from the country’s sovereign wealth fund. He was the first member of ex-President dos Santos’ family to be jailed as part of President Lourenco’s anti-corruption campaign, launched after he took office.
Zenu’s half-sister, Isabel dos Santos, remains in self-imposed exile in Dubai, having been accused by Angolan authorities of causing more than $5 billion in losses to the country during their father’s 38-year rule. Both Jose Filomeno and Isabel dos Santos have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
According to the presidential decree, the pardons were granted based on “the good behavior that was shown and the absence of social danger” exhibited by the prisoners.
The pardon of Ana da Silva Miguel, also known as Neth Nahara, a 32-year-old TikToker, will be welcomed by human rights organizations. She had been sentenced to two years in prison for insulting President Lourenco. Amnesty International had been actively campaigning for her release, along with other activists they deemed to be arbitrarily detained in Angola.
President Lourenco stated earlier in the week that the presidential pardons were part of the celebrations to commemorate 50 years of Angolan independence, as well as the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The pardons are likely to be seen as a complex mixture of political maneuvering and genuine clemency. While releasing figures previously targeted in his anti-corruption campaign, Lourenco has also released activists and citizens imprisoned for criticizing his government.
