Political developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are causing concern ahead of general elections due in four months. The NGO Human Rights Watch recently published a statement highlighting the cases of arrests of politicians and opponents of the regime in place.
Among those mentioned are Salomon Kalonda, adviser to Katumbi, and Franck Diongo. Salomon Kalonda was arrested on the tarmac at N’djili airport and transferred to Ndolo military prison, then released without further charge. Franck Diongo, meanwhile, was also held in Ndolo military prison before being released without charge.
These arrests have raised serious concerns about politically motivated attempts to intimidate the political opposition. Searches were carried out in the residences of Salomon Kalonda in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, as well as in the properties of his family.
Human Rights Watch, as well as UN and diplomatic sources, expressed concern that the arrests were being used for political purposes. By arresting the relatives of opposition leaders and preventing them from traveling or organizing demonstrations, this sends an alarming message as the election campaign approaches.
Military justice charges Salomon Kalonda with charges of treason, possession of classified documents and incitement of military personnel to acts contrary to their duty. He is accused of having had contacts with members of an armed group and Rwandan supporters with the aim of overthrowing the power in place in the DRC.
These arbitrary arrests and detentions raise major concerns about respect for human rights and the state of democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congolese civil society organizations have already called on the government to put an end to these practices and guarantee respect for fundamental rights.
It is crucial that the government takes urgent action to reverse this trend and restore a political climate conducive to free and fair elections. The international community must also continue to closely monitor the situation and support human rights defenders and civil society actors in the DRC.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is at a turning point in its history, and it is crucial that the rights of all citizens are respected and that the electoral process takes place in a transparent and fair manner