The Ad Hoc Commission for the Analysis of Excessive Pre-Trial Detention at the national level met this Wednesday, the 3rd, in Luanda, at the Supreme Court (TS). The meeting assessed the level of compliance with the recommendations established to review cases of excessive pre-trial detention in the country’s prisons and concluded that Angola recorded a significant reduction—around 60%—between January and December of this year.
According to the commission, by December 2024 the country had registered more than 3,000 cases of excessive pre-trial detention, and this number has now dropped to 1,230 cases.
Despite this sharp reduction, the country’s capital, Luanda, still accounts for the highest number of cases, as it is the province with the largest overall penal population.
Wednesday’s meeting of the Ad Hoc Commission focused on analysing key guidelines for the work to be carried out in 2026, with an emphasis on strengthening monitoring, mitigation, and prevention measures regarding excessive pre-trial detention nationwide.
According to the commission’s secretary and spokesperson, Alves René, technical clean-up work is currently underway on all submitted cases, particularly those coming from the penitentiary services, the entity responsible for detainee custody.
The official explained that although the data is still preliminary, statistics already show a reduction of around 60% between January and December.
“By the end of last year, we registered more than 3,000 cases of excessive pre-trial detention. Currently, this number has dropped to about 1,230 cases,” he stated.
The meeting was chaired by Supreme Court justice and coordinator of the Ad Hoc Commission, Daniel Modesto, and was attended by representatives of the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights (MINJUDH), the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ministry of the Interior (MININT), and presidents of appellate and district courts.
Source: O Novo Jornal
