On Friday 26 July, the Council of the European Union adopted restrictive measures against nine individuals and one entity that it considers responsible for acts constituting serious violations and abuses of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and fuelling armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the east of the country.
Brigadier-General Justin Gacheri Musanga, leader of the March 23 Movement / Congolese Revolutionary Army (M23/ARC), an armed group operating in Eastern DRC, and Executive Secretary Benjamin Mbonimpa are the subject of measures, as are Deputy Commander Pierre Célestin Rurakabije and Commander Gustave Kubwayo of the Forces démocratiques pour la libération du Rwanda - Forces combattantes Abacunguzi (FDLR-FOCA).
The commander of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Amigo Kiribige, has also been sanctioned “due to the extreme level of violence against civilians perpetrated by this armed group”, according to the Council of the European Union. The same applies to Colonel Augustin Migabo, Deputy Commander of the Special Force Command of the Rwandan Defence Force.
In addition, Jean-Claude Habyarimana Mbitse and Dominique Kamanzi Ndarurutse, respectively the spokesman and a commander of the Collectif des mouvements pour le changement-Forces de défense du peuple (CMC-FDP), an armed group active in Eastern DRC, are also subject to restrictive measures.
Finally, the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a politico-military movement operating in Eastern DRC and openly associated with several non-governmental armed groups, including M23/ARC, has been sanctioned, as has its political leader, Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo.
In total, the EU’s restrictive measures relating to human rights violations and electoral obstruction in the DRC apply to 31 individuals and one entity.
See the legal act: https://aeur.eu/f/d5h (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)