Democracy News

Concerns Grow over Rights Abuses in DRC
February 17, 2010
By: Benjamin Russell | Printer Friendly

Human rights organizations are calling on both the international community and the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to strengthen their commitment to protecting human rights and democracy advocates in the country, according to the Democracy Digest. 

In a recent report, Amnesty International cited eight cases of activist abuse that highlighted ongoing abuses against activists in the DRC.  One such case was that of Golden Misabiko, who was detained by the National Intelligence Agency last June after publishing allegations of government involvement in the illegal mining of radioactive material.  Misabiko was sentenced to a year in prison with eight months suspended for filing his report.  

The targeting of rights activists has been steadily increasing, according to Amnesty International.  Groups like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) have asked that the UN take a more assertive role in protecting rights activists. They also have asked that the DRC government grant greater “democratic space” for civilians and rights activists to operate.

Though the UN’s mandate was recently extended in the DRC, some groups have cited the deteriorating human rights situation in the country as an indication of the international community’s failure to live up to its responsibilities there.  Global Witness published a report accusing the UN of being “ineffective in enforcing sanctions or implementing resolutions against states and non-state actors involved in the DRC war,” according to Democracy Digest.

Sources:

Democracy Digest – Democracy Activists Urge UN to Defend Human Rights Defenders in DRC

Amnesty International UK – New Report Shows Escalating Abuse of Human Rights Defenders