Democratic Republic of Congo
28.03.02
Urgent Interventions
'D.R. CongoCongo: international NGOs demand the suppression of the Court of Military Order (COM).
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
Original : French
RDC 004 / 0005 / OBS 048
Arrest
Democratic Republic of Congo
5th June 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your most urgent intervention in connection with the following situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the situation
On May 29th 2000, M. Georges Kazimbika, in charge of the finances of the Collectif National des ONG du Développement (CNONG/development) was questioned by agents of the Agence Nationale des Renseignements (ANR) on the pretext that his name was founds in the diary of a woman presumed to be connected with the rebels.
According to information Georges Kazimbika was arrested because the members of the ANR were unable to get hold of the man in charge of the CNONG/Development. Having been warned of the arrival yesterday in Kinshasa of Felicien Malanda, executive secretary of the CNONGD/Development, the agents of the ANR arrested him at his office on Friday June 2nd at 13 : 00 hours.
According to information received M. Georges Kazimbika and Felicien Malanda cannot have any visitors, not even a lawyer, and the food parcels brought by their families are rejected. The Observatory considers that these arrests are part of the systematic harassment to which Human Rights Defenders are subjected in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) urging them to:
i. release immediately Georges Kazimbika and Felicien Malanda if there is no valid charges against them. If such charges exist, to ensure that they have a fair trial;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment, threats or other violation of human rights perpetrated against defenders of these same rights;
iii. apply the international principles and standards in matters of human rights including the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 1998, in particular article 1 which provides that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels." (Art.1)
iv. to abide more generally by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional instruments for the protection of Human Rights.
Adresses :
Le Président de la République, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, Fax : 243 880 02 120 E-mail : UPP@ic.cd
Ministre de la Justice : Fax : 00 243 88 05 521
Ministre des droits humains : 00 243
12 20 664
Ministre de l’Information et de la presse / Porte-parole du gouvernement :Fax : 243 12 61 205
Geneva - Paris, 5th June 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply,. The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line : Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT (+ 41-22) 809 49 39
E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
Original : French
RDC 004 / 0005 / OBS 048
Arrest
Democratic Republic of Congo
5th June 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your most urgent intervention in connection with the following situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the situation
On May 29th 2000, M. Georges Kazimbika, in charge of the finances of the Collectif National des ONG du Développement (CNONG/development) was questioned by agents of the Agence Nationale des Renseignements (ANR) on the pretext that his name was founds in the diary of a woman presumed to be connected with the rebels.
According to information Georges Kazimbika was arrested because the members of the ANR were unable to get hold of the man in charge of the CNONG/Development. Having been warned of the arrival yesterday in Kinshasa of Felicien Malanda, executive secretary of the CNONGD/Development, the agents of the ANR arrested him at his office on Friday June 2nd at 13 : 00 hours.
According to information received M. Georges Kazimbika and Felicien Malanda cannot have any visitors, not even a lawyer, and the food parcels brought by their families are rejected. The Observatory considers that these arrests are part of the systematic harassment to which Human Rights Defenders are subjected in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) urging them to:
i. release immediately Georges Kazimbika and Felicien Malanda if there is no valid charges against them. If such charges exist, to ensure that they have a fair trial;
ii. put an end to all forms of harassment, threats or other violation of human rights perpetrated against defenders of these same rights;
iii. apply the international principles and standards in matters of human rights including the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 1998, in particular article 1 which provides that "Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels." (Art.1)
iv. to abide more generally by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional instruments for the protection of Human Rights.
Adresses :
Le Président de la République, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, Fax : 243 880 02 120 E-mail : UPP@ic.cd
Ministre de la Justice : Fax : 00 243 88 05 521
Ministre des droits humains : 00 243
12 20 664
Ministre de l’Information et de la presse / Porte-parole du gouvernement :Fax : 243 12 61 205
Geneva - Paris, 5th June 2000
Kindly inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply,. The Observatory, an FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line : Fax : 33 (0) 1 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT (+ 41-22) 809 49 39
E.Mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch