Democratic Republic of Congo
22.02.01
Urgent Interventions
D.R. Congo: risk of execution of a woman and her five year old child by the military authorites of the RCD
Case COD 180401
The International Secretariat of 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 African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ASADHO), a member of the OMCT network, about the arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention and the subsequent placement under house arrest of Brazilian Pastor Carlos Rodrigues and an aide, Mrs. Christine.
According to the information received, Pastor Rodrigues of the Pentecostal Church of New Jerusalem was arbitrarily arrested by a group of plain-clothes armed men at around 14.30 on April 6, 2001, and was transported in a Mercedes 500 to the State Security Committee's detention facilities in Ngaliema. He was detained incommunicado and without food at these premises until April 10, after which time he was placed under house arrest. Similarly, Mrs. Christine was arbitrarily arrested in her appartment, located in the commune of Gombe, by members of the armed forces, at around 8.00 in the morning of April 10th, 2001. She was also held incommunicado and without food at the State Security Committee's premises until she was released on April 11th, 2001. She is also now under house arrest. The motives behind the arrest and subsequent house arrest remain unclear.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Pastor Rodrigues and Mrs. Catherine;
2. order that the restrictions on their movement be lifted in the absence of valid legal grounds;
3. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
4. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
- President Joseph Kabila. Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo. Fax (+ 243) 880 02 120
- Minister of Justice, Ministère de la Justice, BP 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo. Fax : (+243) 880 55 21
- Minister of Human Rights, Ministre des droits humains, Fax : (+243) 12 20 664
Please also write to the embassies of the Democratic Republic of Congo in your respective country.
Geneva, April 18, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of 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 African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ASADHO), a member of the OMCT network, about the arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention and the subsequent placement under house arrest of Brazilian Pastor Carlos Rodrigues and an aide, Mrs. Christine.
According to the information received, Pastor Rodrigues of the Pentecostal Church of New Jerusalem was arbitrarily arrested by a group of plain-clothes armed men at around 14.30 on April 6, 2001, and was transported in a Mercedes 500 to the State Security Committee's detention facilities in Ngaliema. He was detained incommunicado and without food at these premises until April 10, after which time he was placed under house arrest. Similarly, Mrs. Christine was arbitrarily arrested in her appartment, located in the commune of Gombe, by members of the armed forces, at around 8.00 in the morning of April 10th, 2001. She was also held incommunicado and without food at the State Security Committee's premises until she was released on April 11th, 2001. She is also now under house arrest. The motives behind the arrest and subsequent house arrest remain unclear.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo urging them to:
1. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Pastor Rodrigues and Mrs. Catherine;
2. order that the restrictions on their movement be lifted in the absence of valid legal grounds;
3. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
4. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
- President Joseph Kabila. Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo. Fax (+ 243) 880 02 120
- Minister of Justice, Ministère de la Justice, BP 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo. Fax : (+243) 880 55 21
- Minister of Human Rights, Ministre des droits humains, Fax : (+243) 12 20 664
Please also write to the embassies of the Democratic Republic of Congo in your respective country.
Geneva, April 18, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.