Judges in Angola have overruled an out-of-court settlement and handed anti-corruption activist Rafael Marques de Morais a six-month suspended sentence for slander. <br /><br /> Defamation charges had been dropped against the journalist, who accused seven Angolan army generals of being complicit in human rights abuses in Angola’s diamond mining industry.<br /><br /> The allegations appeared in a book written by Marques, called ‘Blood Diamonds: Corruption and Torture in Angola.’ <br /><br /> The generals have always denied the accusations.<br /><br /> Marques’ lawyer has vowed to appeal against the sentence. <br /><br /> Representatives of 50 human rights watchdogs have also expressed concern over the decision, and have written an open letter to the Angolan president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos.<br /><br /> Joint Letter Re: Prosecution of Rafael Marques de Morais http://t.co/drSqMs2rBO— SouthernAfricaAIUSA (@SoAfricaAIUSA) May 27, 2015
