Democratic Republic of Congo
02.01.01
Urgent Interventions
D.R. Congo: Mrs Aimée Ntabarusha Mungu and her baby missing
Case COD 270902
Excessive use of force / Arbitrary detention and arrest / Torture / Death in detention
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the “Voix Sans-Voix” (VSV), a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest of a number of members of the group “Parlementaires – Debout” as well as militants belonging to “Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social” (Union for Democracy and Social Progress - UDPS) on Thursday 26 September 2002 at about 9.00 am by the police and the Congolese armed forces (Forces Armées Congolaises -FAC) in Kinshasa/Limete. The arrested persons were participating in a march organized jointly by Parlement-Debout and the UDPS in order to celebrate their 9th anniversary and to support the candidacy for the position of Supreme Public Prosecutor (Magistrature Suprème) of Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, president of the UDPS.
According to the information received, the march was dispersed merely a few minutes after having begun, by police officers and members of the FAC, some of whom were plain-clothed and others in uniform carrying arms. An impressive security operation was put into place in the areas surrounding Avenue Lumumba in Kinshasa/Limete early in the morning of September 26th 2002. As the marchers arrived, the members of the authorities proceeded, on the one hand, to stop a number of demonstrators and confiscate their identification papers, and on the other, to carry out systematic searches, as well as a number of arrests.
The information received states that the persons arrested were taken to an unknown destination where they were severely beaten with truncheons, rifle butts and military knives, which led to the death of an as yet unidentified member of Parlementaire – Debout. Among the persons arrested, the source cites the following names: Mr. Raoul Nsolwa, Mr.Cosmas Lofudu, Mr. Faustin Nyati, Mr. Bavon Mukendi, Mr. Freddy Kimbani, Mr. J.L. Badinabo, Mr. Pascal Saïdi, Mr. Elie Ongala, Mr. Thomas Kalala, Mr. Papytsho Kitabuni, Mr. J.C. Mwana Ntambwe, Mr. Makangila Moke, Mr. Aimé Muyombo. In addition, Mr. Olenga Ndomanueno, Mr. Christian Nzeba, as well as other demonstrators were severely wounded and left in the street where the incident occurred.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo urging them to:
i. order the immediate release of the detained persons in the absence of valid legal charges, or if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events and guarantee that those responsible are brought to trial and that the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions are applied as provided by law;
iii. guarantee adequate reparations to the families of the victims and to their families
iv. guarantee freedom of expression, of association and of assembly under all circumstances, and in particular to ensure the application of those measures which bear upon the freedom to operate of political parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country, in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards
Adresses
You may encounter difficulties sending emails and faxes to the addresses below. In this case, we suggest you address your letters and communications to the DRC Embassy in Geneva.
§ S.E. l’Ambassadeur de la République démocratique du Congo, Mission permanente de la République démocratique du Congo auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, Avenue de Budé 18, 1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.rdc@ties.itu.int , fax : +41 22 7401682
§ S.E Président Joseph Kabila. Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo, Email : upp@ic.cd
§ Ministre de la Justice, Ministère de la Justice et Garde des Sceaux, BP 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo ; Fax : (+243) 880 55 21, E-mail : minjust@yahoo.fr
§ Ministre des droits humains, Ministère des droits humains ; Fax : (+243) 12 20 664, E-mail : mindroits_humains@yahoo.fr, Min_droitshumains@yahoo.fr
§ Ministre de l’Intérieur, Ministère de l’Intérieur, Fax : 00 243 88 02 042, E-mail : djo@ic.cd
§ Ministre de la Défense, Ministère de la Défense, Fax : 00 243 12 20 981, E-mail : ghimasengo@yahoo.fr
§ Ministre de la Communication, Ministère de la Communication, Fax : 00 243 12 61 205
§ Procureur Général de la République, B.P. : 7016 Kinshasa/Gombe, Fax : 00 243 12 20 843
Please also write to the diplomatic representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo in your country.
Geneva, 27 September 2002
Kindly inform the OMCT of any action you have undertaken indicating the appeal code in your response.
Excessive use of force / Arbitrary detention and arrest / Torture / Death in detention
The International Secretariat of the OMCT requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the situation:
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the “Voix Sans-Voix” (VSV), a member of the OMCT network, of the arrest of a number of members of the group “Parlementaires – Debout” as well as militants belonging to “Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social” (Union for Democracy and Social Progress - UDPS) on Thursday 26 September 2002 at about 9.00 am by the police and the Congolese armed forces (Forces Armées Congolaises -FAC) in Kinshasa/Limete. The arrested persons were participating in a march organized jointly by Parlement-Debout and the UDPS in order to celebrate their 9th anniversary and to support the candidacy for the position of Supreme Public Prosecutor (Magistrature Suprème) of Mr. Etienne Tshisekedi, president of the UDPS.
According to the information received, the march was dispersed merely a few minutes after having begun, by police officers and members of the FAC, some of whom were plain-clothed and others in uniform carrying arms. An impressive security operation was put into place in the areas surrounding Avenue Lumumba in Kinshasa/Limete early in the morning of September 26th 2002. As the marchers arrived, the members of the authorities proceeded, on the one hand, to stop a number of demonstrators and confiscate their identification papers, and on the other, to carry out systematic searches, as well as a number of arrests.
The information received states that the persons arrested were taken to an unknown destination where they were severely beaten with truncheons, rifle butts and military knives, which led to the death of an as yet unidentified member of Parlementaire – Debout. Among the persons arrested, the source cites the following names: Mr. Raoul Nsolwa, Mr.Cosmas Lofudu, Mr. Faustin Nyati, Mr. Bavon Mukendi, Mr. Freddy Kimbani, Mr. J.L. Badinabo, Mr. Pascal Saïdi, Mr. Elie Ongala, Mr. Thomas Kalala, Mr. Papytsho Kitabuni, Mr. J.C. Mwana Ntambwe, Mr. Makangila Moke, Mr. Aimé Muyombo. In addition, Mr. Olenga Ndomanueno, Mr. Christian Nzeba, as well as other demonstrators were severely wounded and left in the street where the incident occurred.
Action requested:
Please write to the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo urging them to:
i. order the immediate release of the detained persons in the absence of valid legal charges, or if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
ii. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events and guarantee that those responsible are brought to trial and that the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions are applied as provided by law;
iii. guarantee adequate reparations to the families of the victims and to their families
iv. guarantee freedom of expression, of association and of assembly under all circumstances, and in particular to ensure the application of those measures which bear upon the freedom to operate of political parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
v. guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the country, in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards
Adresses
You may encounter difficulties sending emails and faxes to the addresses below. In this case, we suggest you address your letters and communications to the DRC Embassy in Geneva.
§ S.E. l’Ambassadeur de la République démocratique du Congo, Mission permanente de la République démocratique du Congo auprès de l’Office des Nations Unies à Genève, Avenue de Budé 18, 1202, Genève, Suisse, e-mail : mission.rdc@ties.itu.int , fax : +41 22 7401682
§ S.E Président Joseph Kabila. Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo, Email : upp@ic.cd
§ Ministre de la Justice, Ministère de la Justice et Garde des Sceaux, BP 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo ; Fax : (+243) 880 55 21, E-mail : minjust@yahoo.fr
§ Ministre des droits humains, Ministère des droits humains ; Fax : (+243) 12 20 664, E-mail : mindroits_humains@yahoo.fr, Min_droitshumains@yahoo.fr
§ Ministre de l’Intérieur, Ministère de l’Intérieur, Fax : 00 243 88 02 042, E-mail : djo@ic.cd
§ Ministre de la Défense, Ministère de la Défense, Fax : 00 243 12 20 981, E-mail : ghimasengo@yahoo.fr
§ Ministre de la Communication, Ministère de la Communication, Fax : 00 243 12 61 205
§ Procureur Général de la République, B.P. : 7016 Kinshasa/Gombe, Fax : 00 243 12 20 843
Please also write to the diplomatic representative of the Democratic Republic of Congo in your country.
Geneva, 27 September 2002
Kindly inform the OMCT of any action you have undertaken indicating the appeal code in your response.