5 of five incidents of intimidation and reprisals affecting 48 victims of human rights violations participating in a trial

Cases
Case status
Unknown
Location of case in SG report
2021-032-005
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2021
Country Geolocation

Latitude: -4.038333

Longitude: 21.758664

Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
From Region
Type of record
Unnamed individual/group/organization
Gender
Gender unclear
Was the victim a foreign national?
No
Was the victim a minor?
No
Individual's/organization's activity

48 victims of human rights violations participating in a trial.

Type of rights defended
  • Other
Was the victim a civil servant, member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
No
Reported trigger of reprisal

Victims of human rights violations participating in a trial cooperating with MONUSCO.

Engagement with UN body
  • UN Peace Operation / Political mission
Type of attempted engagement
  • Unclear
Location of mentioned reprisals
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Reprisal information
  1. During the reporting period, the Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) documented five incidents of intimidation and reprisals for cooperation with the Mission, affecting a total of 53 individuals, including 32 women. Names and further details are withheld due to fear of further reprisals.
  2. All incidents were documented in the conflict-affected eastern provinces. Of the five cases reported, one was in North Kivu (Beni Territory), three in South Kivu (Kalehe, Uvira and Shabunda Territories) and one in Tanganyika Province (Bendera territory). Three were allegedly perpetrated by armed groups, one by Congolese armed forces, and one by unidentified armed elements. Reprisals included death threats, kidnapping and arbitrary arrest. Victims in four cases involved human rights defenders. The fifth case targeted 48 victims of human rights violations participating in a trial. These formed part of a wider pattern of continued restrictions documented by UNJHRO on the exercise of fundamental freedoms.22 Names and further details are withheld due to fear of further reprisals.
Types of reprisals suffered
  • Detention/Imprisonment: Detention/Imprisonment - General
  • Disappearance/Kidnapping
  • Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
Alleged/likely perpetrators
Both state and non-state actors
Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
No
Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
Yes
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?
Yes
Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
No