Policies & IssuesSep 25, 2025
JA CEO Provides Tariff Update Following Annual Fly-InA trade deal with Switzerland seems probable, but reaching an agreement with India remains a challenge, David Bonaparte said.
SourcingAug 15, 2016
Journalist who exposed industry abuses now on trial
Rafael Marques de Morais, a reporter who authored a book detailing abuses in the diamond fields of Angola, now faces trial at the hands of those he implicated.
Luanda--A reporter who authored a book detailing abuses in the diamond fields of Angola and was just honored for his contribution to free speech now faces trial in his home country at the hands of those he implicated.
Rafael Marques de Morais went on trial Tuesday to face charges of criminal defamation brought by seven generals, all of whom are shareholders in the companies (among them Sociedade Mineira do Cuango, or SMC, and ITM-Mining) accused of human rights abuses in his 2011 book, Blood Diamonds: Torture and Corruption in Angola.
Originally, the journalist was set to face nine counts of defamation but, following his first day in court, he now faces up to 15 additional counts, according to a tweet posted on his Twitter account Tuesday.
The trial has been adjourned until April 23 to give his lawyers time to address the new charges, and will be closed to the press when it continues, news sources report.
If convicted, de Morais faces prison time and could be forced to pay damages upward of $1 million.
An independent journalist operating in Angola, de Morais published Blood Diamonds in Portugal in 2011. The book details more than 500 cases of torture and 100 killings allegedly carried out by guards of a private security firm called Teleservice and soldiers in the Angolan Armed Forces in the Lunda Norte province in northeastern Angola.
Last Wednesday, he received the Index on Censorship’s 2015 Freedom of Expression award for journalism at a ceremony held in London. This Tuesday, he was back in Angola.
As de Morais explains in this piece published Monday by British daily newspaper The Guardian, he is not on trial for the content of the book but for “having lodged a complaint against the generals for their moral responsibility in the events.”
The complaint to which he refers is a 2011 charge he filed with the Angolan Attorney General calling on authorities to investigate the generals, the owners of Teleservice and SMC shareholders for the alleged abuses. The attorney general set that case aside.
The generals attempted to sue de Morais and the Lisbon-based publisher of his book for libel and defamation, but the Portuguese Attorney General dismissed the case.
The generals then brought the case to Angola. However, they couldn’t try him again on the same charges brought in Portugal due to double-jeopardy laws, so new charges were
drafted on the basis that de Morais defamed the generals when he tried to sue them in 2011.
Mauricio Lazala, the deputy director of the London-based Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, told National Jeweler on Thursday that it has written to three major players in the industry--Tiffany & Co., Signet Jewelers Ltd. and De Beers, as well as Chicago independent Leber Jeweler--asking them to issue public statements of support for de Morais.
The Centre, a nonprofit that works to increase transparency and accountability in business and human rights, then will disseminate these statements via its website, e-newsletter and connections with journalists worldwide.
Leber Jeweler is submitting a statement and Lazala said they are waiting on responses from Tiffany, Signet and De Beers.
Brian Leber of Leber Jeweler said he’s known de Morais for years and has long supported his efforts to bring attention to the human rights abuses committed against artisanal diamond miners and their families in Angola.
“If Angola is to be part of the global community and if Angola’s diamonds are being sold by U.S. retailers to U.S. consumers, then Angola has a fundamental obligation to observe the rights of Rafael Marques (de Morais) to both freedom of speech and freedom of the press,” Leber said.
This is not the first time de Morais has seen the inside of a courtroom for speaking out.
He spent 43 days in jail in 1999 after calling the Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has ruled for the country for 35 years, a “dictator and corrupt man.”
More on Sourcing
The Latest
Lab-GrownSep 25, 2025
Kira Jewels Expands Lab-Grown Diamond ProductionThe manufacturer is adding 1,400 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors to its growing facility in India.
IndependentsSep 25, 2025
Alex Moss’ New Flagship Brings Bold Jewels to SoHoThe jeweler to the stars has worked with Drake, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and other celebrities.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
WatchesSep 25, 2025
Wilson & Son Jewelers Donates to the Horological Society of New YorkThe Scarsdale, New York-based jeweler donated a professional-grade watch cleaning machine.
Weekly QuizSep 25, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Policies & IssuesSep 24, 2025
Tariffs Throw Diamond Trade Into DisarrayThe 50 percent tariffs on diamonds shipped from India to the U.S. have pushed midstream manufacturers to the edge.
Policies & IssuesSep 24, 2025
For Jewelry Manufacturers, Higher Tariffs Create Long-Term WorriesThey are trying to balance the need to sustain well-established relationships with the pressure higher tariffs have put on margins.
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
SourcingSep 24, 2025
A Helping Hand: An Effort to Boost Inclusivity in the IndustryJewelry manufacturer Jewelex has partnered with JOSH, an industry training center, on a program for people with disabilities.
CollectionsSep 24, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Goes Back in Time With First Estate CollectionThe collection includes pieces dating back to the Victorian and Art Deco periods as well as mid-century and late 20th-century designs.
Policies & IssuesSep 24, 2025
Diamonds Do Good Names Marcus ter Haar as President-ElectHe previously served as co-chair of the nonprofit’s beneficiary committee.
CollectionsSep 24, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s New Jane Goodall Collection Calls for PeaceIts second collaboration with the conservationist features jewelry with dove and olive branch motifs.
SourcingSep 24, 2025
SRK Launches Kriam PharmaThe diamond manufacturer’s new company will provide accessible and affordable high-quality medicines across India.
ColumnistsSep 23, 2025
Quiet Luxury: What Fall’s Top Trend Means for JewelersEmmanuel Raheb shares tips on how a jeweler’s showcases, marketing, and social media presence can whisper, instead of shout.
MajorsSep 23, 2025
Ames Watson Completes $140M Acquisition of Claire’sThe private equity firm has a plan to revive the mall staple.
SourcingSep 23, 2025
Super Smalls’ New Book Introduces Kids to Gems, Fine JewelryThe “Super Book of Gems” dives into the Mohs Hardness Scale, the Four C’s, and designs from jewelers like Cartier and Bulgari.
MajorsSep 23, 2025
Mattioli Names Kering Exec as New CEOClaudio Pasta will take the lead at the Italian fine jewelry brand, succeeding company founder Licia Mattioli.
CollectionsSep 23, 2025
Monique Lhuillier Adds Fashion Jewelry to Kay Jewelers LineThe new lab-grown diamond jewelry offering is the latest expansion of the designer’s “Bliss” collection.
SourcingSep 22, 2025
Rio Tinto Announces Final ‘Beyond Rare’ TenderThe miner is honoring the end of an era with an offering of 52 lots from the now-closed Argyle and the soon-to-close Diavik mines.
MajorsSep 22, 2025
Jewelry Manufacturer Vibhor Acquires AlorThe California-based fine jewelry brand will retain its identity post-acquisition, with new collections launching next year.
CollectionsSep 22, 2025
Gurhan's Collection is an 'Untamed' ZooThe “Untamed” collection centers on carved gemstone jewelry depicting a range of animals embodying one of the four elemental forces.
Policies & IssuesSep 22, 2025
Ethical Metalsmiths Has a New Name Founded in 2004, the organization is now called the Community for Ethical Jewelry.
EditorsSep 19, 2025
These Female Athletes Had the Best Jewelry of the SummerFrom Coco Gauff’s hoops to Madison Keys’ diamond medallion, these are Senior Editor Lenore Fedow’s standout jewelry looks of the season.
CollectionsSep 19, 2025
Piece of the Week: Vanessa Fernández Studio’s ‘Curva’ Wrap HoopsThe trendy earrings feature asymmetrical drops, one with a grossular garnet and the other with a diamond.
Recorded WebinarsSep 19, 2025
Watch: A Step-by-Step Guide to Using TikTok and Instagram ReelsFour social media marketing experts discuss their go-to methods and favorite tools for making high-quality short-form video content.
Supplier BulletinSep 18, 2025
Will Your Design Define 2026? Enter The Spectrum & Cutting Edge AwardsSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
SurveysSep 18, 2025
Deloitte Thinks the Holidays Will Be Merry, PwC Isn’t So Sure In its holiday report, PwC said the season will be more like jazz—improvisational and less predictable—than an easy-to-follow melody.
