**The controversy surrounding the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty in the DRC: a crucial issue for human rights**
The recent proposal by the defense council to lift the moratorium on the death penalty in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to raise serious concerns among public opinion. Faced with this controversial decision, Grace Shako, feminist activist and national coordinator of the NGO Media Women’s Leadership, expressed her categorical opposition, arguing that such a measure would constitute a serious setback in the protection of human rights in the country.
“As guardian of the Constitution, our responsibility is to preserve the fundamental right to life of every individual. Lifting the moratorium on the death penalty is incompatible with this moral and legal imperative. We must ensure that justice be delivered in a fair and proportionate manner, without resorting to inhumane and retrograde practices,” she underlines.
Grace Shako warns of the potential risks linked to an indiscriminate use of the death penalty, recalling that any judicial error committed in this context would have irreversible and devastating consequences. It therefore recommends a strengthening of alternative sanctions such as life imprisonment or exclusion from military ranks, in accordance with the national laws in force.
Alongside her call for the preservation of human rights, Grace Shako encourages the Congolese authorities to favor peaceful and lasting solutions to resolve the internal conflicts plaguing the east of the country. She invites the Congolese population to remain united with the armed forces and to condemn all forms of violence, in order to guarantee a peaceful future for all citizens.
In this delicate context, it is essential to engage in an open and constructive dialogue around the crucial issues linked to justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The protection of human rights must remain at the heart of the concerns of all stakeholders involved, to build together a more just future that respects the dignity of each person.