Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported the targeting of political party leaders and the restriction of their fundamental liberties by the authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Development Diaries reports that the crackdown is taking place amid heightened political tension ahead of the country’s presidential election campaign, which begins on 19 November.

In recent years, the political opposition, pro-democracy and human rights activists, journalists, and nonviolent protestors have all been targets of concerted attempts by the government to intimidate, silence, and oppress them.

Under regional and international human rights law, the Congolese government is required to protect the freedoms of expression, association, peaceful assembly, and mobility.

Serious human rights breaches, such as mass executions during armed conflict and intercommunal violence, a crackdown on dissent, and abusive detention practices, have persisted in the DRC, according to Amnesty International.

Also, the government’s ongoing lack of political resolve to hold human rights violators accountable is evident.

Freedom House ranked DRC ‘not free’ in its 2023 Freedom in the World report, with the country scoring 19 out of 100.

Development Diaries calls on the Congolese police to stop making arbitrary arrests and uphold the rights of people who have been arrested to a fair trial and due process.

We also call on the Congolese government to respect the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

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