Brussels, 24/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - The arbitrary detentions of several campaigners from the Fight for Change (LUCHA) youth movement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are of much concern to Elena Valenciano (S&D, Spain), who chairs the European Parliament's sub-committee on human rights.
She therefore launched a call, on Tuesday 23 February, for urgent action to protect these campaigners who were arrested in Goma and Kinshasa on 16 February just before the general strike to which they had called the opposition and civil society to protest about the delays in preparations for the presidential election on 20 March (see EUROPE 11496).
“I reiterate that the authorities of the DRC are obliged to ensure that the detainees are not subjected to any kind of bad treatment during their detention. I condemn all harassment and intimidation of these civil society campaigners who have only exercised their civil and political rights peacefully, and I call for their immediate and unconditional release”, Valenciano stated in a press release. She said she hoped the visit of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to the DRC would have a positive impact, but she also wants the EU “to use its leverage effect and deploy all means possible, especially as part of the Cotonou Agreement, to ensure the DRC respects the commitments it has taken with regard to the supremacy of democracy, the rule of law and human rights (essential elements of the Cotonou Agreement)”.
The young arbitrarily detained campaigners include Rebecca Kavugho, Justin Kambale Mutsongo, Melka Kamundu, John Anipenda, Ghislain Muhiwa, Bienvenu Matumo, Marc Heritier and Serge Kambale (Serge Sivyavugha). Valenciano met Serge Sivyavugha in December when he visited Brussels to warn about the worrying human rights situation in the DRC. Valenciano supports the call for the appointment of a UN special envoy responsible for human rights in the DRC. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)