VOA标准英语2010年-Angola Criticized for Jailing Activist

Human rights groups are calling for the release of Angolan human rights activists¹ who were sentenced to prison Tuesday for alleged² involvement in the deadly attack on Togo's national football team.

Amnesty International made the appeal after a court in Angola sentenced four human rights activists to prison terms ranging from three to six years.

They were found guilty of involvement in the attack on the Togolese national football team last January on the eve of the African Nations Cup.  Two team members were killed and several others wounded in the assault.

The incident occurred in the oil-rich enclave of Cabinda which is the scene of a decades-old insurrection by the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC).  FLEC subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack.

Amnesty International's Angola researcher, Muluka-Anne Miti, said the four men - a priest, a lawyer, an economist³ and a former police officer - were jailed for political reasons.  Two of them are members of the banned Mpalabanda Civic⁴ Association of Cabinda.

"Amnesty International condemns⁵ the attack on the Togo football team," said Miti.  "We do call upon the authorities to make sure that a thorough investigation⁶ is carried out and that those responsible are brought to justice. However, this attack should not be used as an excuse to crack down on human rights defenders⁷."

The four were convicted of committing crimes against the state under a law that Miti says allows the government to classify almost any act as a crime.

A fifth man has been convicted in the case under the same law and two more are awaiting trial.

Miti says the government is using the attack on the Togolese football team as a pretext⁸ to silence its critics.

"These people are, have been very vocal⁹ about the situation in Cabinda," added Miti.  "They have on many occasions expressed their opinions about conflicts in Cabinda and try to find solutions to the situation.  And we believe they have been targeted because of that."

She notes that the four men had attended a conference last year aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Cabinda.  Several FLEC members also attended.

Amnesty International says the convictions violate international law.  The four are to appeal.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

3 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

4 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

5 condemns   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• Her widowhood condemns her to a lonely old age. 守寡使她不得不过着孤独的晚年生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The public opinion condemns prostitution. 公众舆论遣责卖淫。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 defenders   

n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者

参考例句：

• The defenders were outnumbered and had to give in. 抵抗者寡不敌众，只能投降。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After hard fighting,the defenders were still masters of the city. 守军经过奋战仍然控制着城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 pretext   

n.借口，托词

参考例句：

• He used his headache as a pretext for not going to school.他借口头疼而不去上学。
• He didn't attend that meeting under the pretext of sickness.他以生病为借口，没参加那个会议。

9 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。