We object the current proposed activation of the death sentence against security officers in DRCongo
Communique on the proposed activation of death sentence targeting a section of people working in different security services in DRCongo
We are extremely concerned about the ongoing maneuver to activate the death penalty in the Democratic Republic of Congo which was proposed to the President by the Security High Council Authority.
While we observe the discriminatory character of such measure, we also observe a regression in the field of human rights. This happens at a moment when the DRC President committed to uphold human rights during his swearing in ceremony on January 20th 2024. We recall that such measure violates the article three (3) and the article five (5) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which DRCongo is a state member.
A democratic state which we are consolidating cannot be built on the practice of killing and brutality against those who are perceived as enemies. Despite the fact that it has evident that in most cases the death sentence is not a solution and in sometimes targets innocent people, in a country like the Democratic Republic of Congo it can be easily abused to execute the weak and the defenseless, and sometimes as a political tool to tackle those with different political opinions.
We strongly recall the best ways to deal with the security in DRC is mainly to reform all the security services through bringing on board well trained and new personnel, improve their working conditions and supervise all security officers during their work, the transfer of various security officers who have been in the Eastern DRCongo since 1996 up to now is one among the best practices to which the Government should add the recruitment of new security officers.
We therefore object the idea and the proposal to activate the death penalty in order to deal with those who are viewed as have betrayed the country.
On top of that we observe that with the current war in North Kivu most of the problem lies at the command level, and even at the top level of the state we are not sure if the country has decided to engage on war or not.
