Husband and Wife Who Fled Political Persecution in Angola Receive Asylum After 10-Year Legal Battle

Winston attorneys and business professionals fought for nearly a decade to ensure our clients secured asylum in the United States and protection from persecution and possibly death.

The husband arrived in the United States in October, 2013. He had fled Angola after being arrested and tortured for participating in peaceful protests against the government’s suppression of free speech and its kidnapping of dissenters. The police accused him of spreading inaccurate information about the President, which they said was a crime. While in custody he was nearly beaten to death and was taken to the hospital. After recovering, he fled to nearby Democratic Republic of Congo, where he hid for a few weeks before departing for the United States.

As punishment for his criticism of the government and escape from the hospital, several Angolan officers went to his home and repeatedly beat, tortured, and raped his wife. When she recovered, she filed a complaint against the officers with an Angolan organization that supports women who are victims of violence. The organization, however, is affiliated with the government and the government reported her complaint to the officers who had attacked her. The officers came back to her house numerous times and threatened to kill her if she did not drop her complaint. Fearing for her life, she left her home and went into hiding until she could flee to the United States in September 2014 and rejoined her husband.

“Kudos to the team for achieving this life-changing win for our deserving clients. This was a particularly challenging asylum case as it involved five hearings and several hours of testimony,” said Los Angeles partner John Schreiber.

The Winston team that helped this family secure asylum in the United States included Karen Forte, Ye Eun Park, Arthur Schoen, John Schreiber, Meredith Stonitsch, and Michelle Tuma.

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