Portugal condemns Angola for expelling journalists

Portugal has strongly reprimanded the Angolan government for barring seven Portuguese journalists from covering a hostage crisis in the remote Angolan enclave of Cabinda, news reports said on Thursday. A foreign ministry spokesman Horacio Cesar was quoted as saying that the Portuguese government had expressed its “vivid dislike” and “firm protest” of the journalists’ ban because it was a violation of press freedom. However, a spokesman for the Angolan embassy in Lisbon was quoted as saying that the journalists had not been expelled. Jose Riberio said the journalists were “advised” to leave because the Angolan government could no longer vouch for their safety. The separatist group FLEC-FAC took three Portuguese men hostage last May in the enclave. Another five Portuguese men were kidnapped last month by a different group, called FLEC-Renovada.