a young woman human rights defender
Cases- Location of case in SG report
- 2025-036-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2025
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: -4.038333
Longitude: 21.758664
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- From Region
- Individual's/organization's activity
local reporter for a civil society organization (CSO)
- Reported trigger of reprisal
regularly shared information on security developments with UNJHRO
- Engagement with UN body
- UN Peace Operation / Political mission
- Type of attempted engagement
- Submission of information to UN
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- April 2024, September 2024, November 2024
- Location of mentioned reprisals
- North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Reprisal information
In a separate incident, in April 2024, the M23 rebel group targeted a young woman human rights defender in North Kivu Province whom they knew served as the local reporter for a civil society organization (CSO) and regularly shared information on security developments with UNJHRO. In September 2024, elements of the M23 group reportedly began sending her threatening text messages and visiting her residence, warning her to remain silent or risk being killed. In November 2024, following public outcry over killings attributed to the M23 in the area where she was based, elements of the group searched for her. She subsequently went into hiding.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Surveillance
- Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- Non-state actor(s)
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Further case development
- During the reporting period, the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) documented seven incidents of reprisals against male (2) and female (5) civil society actors, mostly human rights defenders, including three youth, for cooperation with the Mission, described below. Four incidents were attributed to the Movement du 23 Mars (M23), two to local armed groups, and one to State actors, in different locations in conflict-affected provinces of North Kivu and Ituri Provinces. Names and details of those concerned are withheld due to fear of further reprisals.
- According to information received by OHCHR, the Mouvement du 23 Mars (M23) continued to be openly hostile towards human rights defenders and journalists whom they accused of reporting on M23’s activities, including to the United Nations. This public hostility worsened during the reporting period, when the M23 gained control of large territories, including Goma and Bukavu, the two largest cities of the Eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, and publicly banned activities of civil society actors, human rights defenders and independent media in occupied areas and systematically targeted them. The number of reported cases of reprisals for cooperation with UNJHRO and other United Nations agencies in the affected areas during the period is believed to underrepresent the actual figures. Many victims fled or went into hiding before they could report allegations of human rights violations to the United Nations, and in some instances, UNJHRO could not secure their consent for fear of further reprisals. Cases in other provinces are also likely under-reported due to a lack of communication infrastructure hindering access to victims and reporting as well as to limited awareness of what constitutes reprisals, the importance of reporting them, and how to do so.
- Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
- No
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- Yes