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| Angolan rapper Luaty Beirao jailed for rebellion | Angolan rapper Luaty Beirao jailed for rebellion |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A prominent Angolan rapper has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for planning a rebellion against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. | A prominent Angolan rapper has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for planning a rebellion against President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. |
| Luaty Beirao was sentenced by a court in the capital, Luanda, along with 16 other activists who were given jail terms of between two and eight years. | Luaty Beirao was sentenced by a court in the capital, Luanda, along with 16 other activists who were given jail terms of between two and eight years. |
| The 17 were arrested in June after discussing a book about non-violent resistance at their book club. | The 17 were arrested in June after discussing a book about non-violent resistance at their book club. |
| Mr dos Santos has ruled oil-rich Angola since 1979. | |
| Beirao, also known by his stage name Ikonoklasta, has been an outspoken critic of the government, calling for a fairer distribution of the southern African state's oil wealth. | Beirao, also known by his stage name Ikonoklasta, has been an outspoken critic of the government, calling for a fairer distribution of the southern African state's oil wealth. |
| He embarked on a five-week hunger strike in September to demand his release. | He embarked on a five-week hunger strike in September to demand his release. |
| The judge convicted him of "rebellion against the president of the republic, criminal association and falsifying documents", AFP news agency reports | The judge convicted him of "rebellion against the president of the republic, criminal association and falsifying documents", AFP news agency reports |
| The trial had prompted global outrage, with rights groups saying it showed that Mr dos Santos' government was becoming increasingly repressive in its attempts to remain in power. | |
| Prosecutors defended the arrests, arguing that the 17 were planning an uprising among students and workers "with incalculable consequences". | Prosecutors defended the arrests, arguing that the 17 were planning an uprising among students and workers "with incalculable consequences". |
| The jailed activists, who belonged to a youth movement, had previously held demonstrations demanding the resignation of Mr dos Santos, who has been in power for 36 years. | The jailed activists, who belonged to a youth movement, had previously held demonstrations demanding the resignation of Mr dos Santos, who has been in power for 36 years. |
| Their book club had discussed the 1993 book by Gene Sharp called From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation. | Their book club had discussed the 1993 book by Gene Sharp called From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation. |
| Angola is Africa's second-largest oil producer, and has witnessed an economic boom since the end of a civil war in 2002. | Angola is Africa's second-largest oil producer, and has witnessed an economic boom since the end of a civil war in 2002. |
| However, critics of the elected government say the wealth has only benefited a small elite. | However, critics of the elected government say the wealth has only benefited a small elite. |
| Who is Gene Sharp? | Who is Gene Sharp? |
| Gene Sharp is a US academic who researches non-violent revolution. | Gene Sharp is a US academic who researches non-violent revolution. |
| He is credited with the strategy which led to the toppling of Egypt's long-time Hosni Mubarak leader in 2011. | He is credited with the strategy which led to the toppling of Egypt's long-time Hosni Mubarak leader in 2011. |
| His most translated and distributed work, From Dictatorship to Democracy, was written for the Burmese democratic movement in 1993, after the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi. | His most translated and distributed work, From Dictatorship to Democracy, was written for the Burmese democratic movement in 1993, after the imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi. |
| Gene Sharp: Author of the nonviolent revolution rulebook | Gene Sharp: Author of the nonviolent revolution rulebook |