We call upon the immediate release of Pro-Democracy Activists arrested in Goma today during a demonstration

Demonstrators in the Police Car at the Police Offices in Goma

Information coming to us indicates that more than 12 Pro-Democracy Activist in Goma, the Democratic Republic of Congo have been arrested by the Police and are being held at the Police Intelligence Service known as PD in Goma. They were arrested during a public demonstration which they organized today in order to protest against exaggerated insecurity in Goma which is characterized by killings, kidnapping, armed robbery, extortion among other crimes which are attributed to security forces and other armed groups in Goma.

Goma as the rest on North Kivu and Ituri Provinces are under the State of Emergency which limits the freedom of the population and one among the freedom seriously affected is that of demonstration. The Mayor of Goma issued a circular in which he banned the demonstration.

It is time to focus on the real issue of insecurity in Goma and not harass the victims of the insecurity who want protection.