Democratic Republic of the Congo: Arbitrarily Jailed Journalist Must Be Released
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is set to hold general elections in December 2023. Citizen movements, many human rights organizations, and opposition parties have raised concerns over the increasing restrictions on civic space and attacks ahead of the planned elections.
On 13 July 2023, the body of ex-minister turned opposition figure, Cherubin Okende, was discovered with gunshot wounds. At the time of his death, Cherubin Okende was spokesperson of the Ensemble pour la Republique, an opposition party led by President Tshisekedi’s potential presidential challenger, Moise Katumbi. Cherubin Okende’s family had reported him abducted a few hours earlier. According to several news outlets, Cherubin Okende had left his house to drop off a 24-hour request to postpone an invitation to appear before a magistrate on 13 July 2023. A leaked note cited in an article published by Jeune Afrique on 31 August 2023 - and on which Stanis Bujakera is being prosecuted in relation to- mentions the military intelligence as being involved in the killing of Cherubin Okende. An independent inquiry was set to investigate his death. However, the family and other experts have raised concerns over the irregularities in preserving forensic evidence and the lack of transparency.
On 20 June 2023, the presidential guards arrested opposition MP Frank Diongo and accused him of illegally possessing a firearm. He was detained at the military intelligence headquarters and transferred to Ndolo military prison on 8 July 2023. He was released without charge on 15 July 2023. Another political opposition figure, Moise Katumbi’s adviser, Salomon Kalonda, was arrested on 30 May 2023 in Kinshasa. He remains in detention at the Ndolo military prison, where he was transferred after spending 11 days at the military intelligence headquarters. He is accused of “illegally possessing a weapon” and “undermining state security.” The DRC officials had previously accused Salomon Kalonda of unsubstantiated allegations that he was in contact with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. He was charged on 14 August 2023 with “treason,” “receiving classified documents,” and “inciting military personnel to commit acts contrary to their duty”.
Recently, the DRC authorities and security forces have increasingly prevented opposition parties from holding peaceful demonstrations. A peaceful protest against the high cost of living, insecurity, and the lack of preparedness for the electoral process, organized on 21 May 2023 by the opposition, was brutally suppressed by security forces. According to official accounts, at least 27 people (including police officers) were injured. Three days later, the police prevented Moise Katumbi, one of the main challengers of President Tshisekedi for the upcoming presidential elections, from entering the province of Kongo-Central to hold political rallies. A sit-in at the National Independent Electoral Commission organized by Katumbi, Martin Fayulu, Delly Sesanga, and Matata Ponyo was brutally dispersed by the police on 25 May 2023. In the same month, in Lubumbashi, a stronghold of Moise Katumbi, the authorities banned the meeting planned by the opposition.