The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently at the heart of the news due to elections scheduled for the end of 2023. The United States, France, Germany, Belgium, Canada, Spain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and the delegation of the European Union therefore issued a joint statement on Friday, June 2 to reaffirm their commitment to freedom and democracy in the country.
They particularly insisted on freedom of expression, of the press, of assembly and of movement, which are crucial elements for a free and fair electoral process, as well as for the establishment of the rule of law. This declaration comes at a time when acts of obstruction are more and more numerous in political circles, in particular towards the opposition.
Opponents staged a march on May 20 to protest against the “chaotic” electoral process, which was violently repressed by law enforcement and security forces. This repression has aroused the concern of the international community, especially since the restrictions imposed on freedom of movement as well as arbitrary arrests are on the increase.
Faced with this situation, the partner countries reiterated their concerns about the excessive use of force during demonstrations, the restrictions imposed on freedom of movement and arbitrary arrests. They also took note of the announcement of investigations into these issues and called for respect for fundamental freedoms in the electoral context.
Opponents are mobilizing to obtain the organization of elections within the constitutional deadline, which is reflected in particular by marches and meetings to come in the coming weeks. It should be noted that fatshimétrie, an information blog on the situation in the DRC, recently published an article on the state of play of citizen movements and the hopes of opposition forces to counterbalance a worrying restriction of space civic. In view of the challenges ahead, the international community continues to closely monitor the evolution of the situation in the DRC.