Geneva, 18 June 2026
We condemn last week’s
violence against protesters who gathered in the capital
Kinshasa to oppose what they regard to be attempts to amend
the Constitution to allow the incumbent President to run for
a third term.
It is troubling that at least one
protester was reportedly killed and at least 38 others
injured during the 12 June demonstration, among them four
opposition leaders. The Government of the Democratic
Republic of Congo has the obligation to facilitate peaceful
assemblies and protect the participants, and any use of
force by law enforcement must be strictly of last resort and
fully comply with the limitations placed on it by
international human rights law.
UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights Volker Türk welcomes the authorities’
announcement that they will investigate the incident, and
calls for those investigations to be effective, independent,
transparent and impartial, and for anyone found responsible
for conduct amounting to violations of human rights to be
brought to justice, in a process respecting fair trial
guarantees.
He urges the DRC authorities to respect
and ensure full enjoyment of the freedoms of expression,
association and peaceful assembly, in the lead up to
presidential and parliamentary elections in
2028.
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