On 7 September 2026 Lawyers for Lawyers (L4L) and the International Observatory of Lawyers at Risk (OIAD) express their profound concern regarding the safety of lawyer Zola Ferreira Bambi, following a recent threat to his life. The circumstances surrounding the threat remain unclear, raising serious concerns about public safety and the protection of lawyers in the country. The threat is part of broader trend of intensifying tensions in Angola, in the run up to the national elections.
Zola Ferreira Bambi is a human rights lawyer committed to advocating for the rights of human rights activists and vulnerable communities in Angola. Since the early 2000s, he has been at the forefront of documenting and challenging the persecution and judicial harassment of human rights defenders. He has represented activists and journalists in high-profile cases, advocating for freedom of expression and access to justice. Over the past decade, he has also documented and denounced numerous cases of corruption, impunity, abuse of power, forced displacement and police violence. In April 2025, Mr. Bambi’s dedication was internationally recognised when he received the Lawyers for Lawyers Award.
In the morning of September 1st, mr. Bambi received a death threat as he was preparing to attend a hearing before de Luanda Court in his capacity as a lawyer. The proceedings concern a high-profile case involving a high-ranking police officer and relate to allegations concerning the conduct of police forces in an incident that resulted in the death of a woman and left several other individuals seriously injured. As Mr. Bambi represents the family of the deceased in these proceedings, there is a serious likelihood that the threat received that day is linked to his legal representation of the family in this case.
This alarming message was received amidst rising pressure, persecution, and threats against human rights defenders in Angola. As the country prepares for the national elections scheduled for August 2027, an increasingly tense and repressive climate has emerged in recent weeks, with social tensions and demands being used as a pretext for intimidation, threats, physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, and fabricated judicial proceedings against those expressing dissenting views. Activists, lawyers, journalists, and human rights defenders are increasingly being targeted, and these incidents appear to be intensifying as the elections approach.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
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