New York, October 22, 2010–A popular Angolan radio commentator, whose satirical broadcasts have been critical of the government, was injured in a stabbing this morning in the capital city of Luanda, according to local journalists and news reports.
António Manuel Manuel Da Silva, better known as “Jójó,” was walking home around 3 a.m. when he was stabbed by an attacker who confronted him about his program on private Radio Despertar, according to the station’s director, Alexandre Neto, who spoke with eyewitnesses.
In his most recent program, Da Silva had criticized President José Eduardo dos Santos’s October 15 state of the nation speech to parliament, Neto said. Da Silva claimed the speech failed to address critical issues including corruption and criminality in Luanda. The satirist has received at least two death threats via text message since August, both related his to critical commentary, Neto added.
Da Silva is the third journalist since September who has been attacked for criticizing the government, according to CPJ research. On September 5, gunmen killed Radio Despertar presenter Alberto Graves Chakussanga. On September 22, assailants opened fire and injured reporter Norberto Abias Sateko of TV Zimbo, a private broadcaster, according to news reports. No arrests have been made. Calls to Luanda police spokesman Laureano Benge for comment were not immediately returned.
“We condemn the stabbing of our colleague António Manuel Manuel Da Silva. This incident is part of an alarming series of attacks targeting Angolan journalists who are critical of their government,” said CPJ Africa Advocacy Coordinator Mohamed Keita. “We call upon the Angolan authorities to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.”
Da Silva’s twice-weekly Portuguese-language program is one of the country’s most popular radio shows, local journalists told CPJ. The show addresses socioeconomic and political affairs, raising critical questions about the government’s performance.