The trial of Angolan investigative journalist Rafael Marques de Morais, who is being charged with libel by those he implicated in his book exposing corruption and abuse in the country’s diamond industry, will not resume again until mid-May...Sarah Hager...[of] Amnesty International U.S.A....said that his trial, which originally was set to resume April 23, was adjourned again, this time until May 14... 

She said two of the mining companies and the seven generals who brought criminal defamation charges against de Morais for his 2011 book, Blood Diamonds: Torture and Corruption in Angola, are trying to work toward a settlement with the journalist... As of last Thursday, a third mining company...ITM Mining Ltd., had indicated that it was not interested in negotiating with de Morais and wanted to move forward with the trial... 

The trial of de Morais has evoked international outcry from a number of organizations, including...Leber Jeweler and Tiffany & Co., both of which issued public statements in support of de Morais at the behest of...Business & Human Rights Resource Centre.  Brian Leber told National Jeweler back when de Morais’ trial started that “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.” [also refers to De Beers]