At least 12 activists from the human rights group Lutte Pour Le Changement (LUCHA) were on Wednesday brutalized and arrested by police while conducting a peaceful march in Goma, North Kivu Province.
The activists conducted a peaceful march to demonstrate against the government and local authorities lawlessness in providing solutions for the growing insecurities in the city of Goma.
However, they were intercepted by armed police who manhandled and arrested at least 12 of the protestants who belong to the LUCHA group.
LUCHA have since issued a statement calling for the immediate release of its members who have been illegally arrested by the police.
“We demand their release without any conditions and we continue to demand the resignation of the mayor of the city of Goma following his incompetence. If they are not released, we promise other demonstrations,” declared Josué Walay, activist of Lucha.
There are growing security concerns in the city of Goma that has recently recorded a number of robbery and murder cases while the fighting between the Congolese army (FARDC) and the M23 rebel fighters in surrounding areas continues to threaten the peace of the city.
