The European Union has expressed concern with the alarming statistics showing that Democratic Republic of Congo committed nearly 90 percent human rights violations targeting defenders of rights and journalists, especially within conflict-affected areas.
The EU says the action by state agents ranking at 87% of the human rights violations was shrinking the democratic space.
ISHR and SOS Information Juridique Multisectorielle (SOS IJM) delivered a joint statement highlighting the importance of implementing a transitional justice mechanism to ensure the rule of law.
In addition, the international observers have urged the government of President Felix Tshisekedi to complete the second reading of the Law on the Protection and Responsibility of Human Rights Defenders and align it with international standards and principles for the protection of defenders, especially regarding undue restrictions on their recognition as defenders.
High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, echoed the importance of a speedy adoption of the pending bill on the protection of human rights defenders amidst harassment and detentions of defenders and journalists by national intelligence agencies.
Türk stated that there appear to be systematic efforts to prevent journalists and civil society actors from investigating allegations involving security forces, particularly in conflict areas.
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the DRC and the Head of MONUSCO, Bintou Keita, described how DRC’s fragile security and political context as a catalyst to the resulting shrinking civic space which has led to the increase in reprisals against defenders and journalists.
Also, Junior Safari Runiga of the Network for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, Witnesses, Victims and Media Professionals (REPRODEV) expressed his concerns about restrictions on the public freedoms of defenders, journalists and political opponents and the cycle of violence and plundering of natural resources by armed groups in provinces, such as Ituri, Maniema, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tanganyika.
