The Angolan rapper Luaty Beirão, also known by his stage name Ikonoklasta, has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison on charges of “rebellion against the president of the republic, criminal association and falsifying documents,” according to AFP. This same charge was brought against 16 other activists, with sentences ranging from two to eight-and-a-half years.

Beirão rose to prominence in 2011 when his song “I Am an Angolan Kamikaze Ready to Strike” became an anthem of protestors demanding democracy. He was arrested in June 2015, and was illegally detained for six months while awaiting trial. In December 2015 he was moved to house arrest after a 5-week hunger strike, but not before 18 activists were arrested protesting for his release in November.

Luaty Beirão, known by his stage name of Ikonoklasta, is one of 17 youth protesters jailed on rebellion charges.

Evidence used in the trial included the activists’ book club reading Gene Sharp’s 1993 handbook for nonviolent revolution From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation (full PDF here; large file) as well as demonstrations held by the group calling for the resignation of President José Eduardo dos Santos.

President dos Santos has pledged to step down from leading the oil-rich nation in 2018, but has made two similar pledges in the past which he later rescinded.

After the sentence was revealed, a member of the public present in the courtroom said that the trial was “a parody of justice.” He was immediately arrested.

At least ten of the accused have announced plans to appeal the ruling.

The Voice Project has been campaigning for Luaty Beirão’s unconditional release, and will continue to advocate for the freedom of Beirão and the other prisoners of conscience sentenced with him. It is never acceptable to jail anyone for peacefully embracing the fundamental right of free expression to have a say in one’s government.

You can add your voice in support of Ikonoklasta and those sentenced with him here.