Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding allegations of unlawful detention and acts of torture by the Congolese intelligence services against activists, political leaders and human rights campaigners following protests in January against the revision of the electoral law and demonstrations in March organised by LUCHA.

We remain deeply concerned by the Congolese authorities’ response to the civil unrest that affected Kinshasa and the wider Democratic Republic of Congo in January, and subsequent peaceful political activity. It is unacceptable to hold the arrested participants in detention for long periods without charge or due legal assistance. We are concerned by reports that their testimony was obtained under duress and that this may be used in legal proceedings against the activists.

In response, and together with other EU Missions, officials from our Embassy in Kinshasa twice lobbied the Congolese government to voice our concern at the arrest and detention without charge of the activists. Officials also joined other international observers in monitoring court hearings in this case and those of a number of other activists detained in recent months. Officials have stressed to the Congolese authorities that civil society organisations must be allowed to hold workshops on the democratic process without fear of arrest or reprisal, that all legal proceedings must fully respect the international standards of due process and that the right to peaceful demonstration and assembly must be upheld. Our concerns were set out in an EU Heads of Mission press statement issued on 11 February.