DRC: Disillusion and concern for human rights defenders and civil society
Following President Félix Tshisekedi's accession to a second term of office at the end of December 2023, and despite the promises made since the start of his presidency in 2019, the situation of human rights defenders and civil society in the DRC continues to deteriorate. The report published today by the Observatory (FIDH-OMCT), together with several Congolese organisations, provides an alarming overview of the situation. It also recommends several solutions that would enable the DRC to finally get out of the rut. Civic space must be opened up, and the protection of all civil society actors must be guaranteed.
Paris-Geneva-Kinshasa, August 27, 2024 - Repression of peaceful demonstrations, arrests of human rights defenders, announcement of the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty, continuing conflict in the East... The beginning of 2024, which marks the start of President Félix Tshisekedi's second term in office, has been marred by a multitude of significant violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as described in the report published today by the Observatory (FIDH-OMCT), the Lotus Group (Groupe Lotus), the League of Voters (Ligue des électeurs), the African Association for Human Rights (Association africaine des droits de l’Homme - ASADHO) and the Alliance for the Universality of Fundamental Rights (Alliance pour l’universalité des droits fondamentaux - AUDF). The report shows that, in the continuity of previous regimes, the Congolese authorities, as well as non-state actors, continue to target human rights defenders, including those defending the environment and the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ people, citizen movement activists, journalists and lawyers, with the aim of silencing any dissenting voices.
“The repression of human rights defenders is by no means an appropriate response to the blatant deterioration of the overall situation in the DRC,” stresses Alice Mogwe, President of FIDH. “It is only by guaranteeing fundamental freedoms and the opening of civic space that the DRC will be able to respond to the many challenges which prevent its people from living in security and thriving. It is high time that President Félix Tshisikedi finally understood this.”
The report notes that, although some efforts have been made, notably with the adoption of a law on the protection of human rights defenders in 2023, the Congolese legal and institutional framework and judicial system remain fragile, fostering a climate of widespread impunity for serious crimes committed against human rights defenders, and failing to ensure their effective protection. On the contrary, a wide range of tools are used by the Congolese authorities to intimidate and attack human rights defenders, such as certain provisions of the Criminal Code and the Digital Code, or the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty, which poses an additional threat to defenders.
“The conclusions of this report are clear: the Congolese authorities must respect their commitments. They have regional and international obligations in terms of human rights and the protection of human rights defenders” added Gerald Staberock, OMCT Secretary General.
Read the full report in French and English on the OMCT website, and in English and French on the FIDH website, and on the Observatory website.
FIDH : Maxime Duriez : +33 6 48 05 91 57 | mduriez@fidh.org