***A new era for democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Franck Diongo obtains political asylum in Belgium and denounces the abuses of the current regime***
In a tense political context in the Democratic Republic of Congo, opponent Franck Diongo recently made headlines by obtaining political asylum in Belgium. This decision follows a series of events which highlighted the authoritarian practices of the regime in place, led by President Félix Tshisekedi.
During a press conference held in Brussels alongside his lawyer, Alexis Deswaef, Franck Diongo explained the reasons which pushed him to request political asylum. According to his lawyer, he convincingly demonstrated that his return to the DRC would jeopardize his life and freedom, essential criteria for obtaining refugee status in Belgium under the Geneva Convention.
Alongside this announcement, a complaint was filed against General Christian Ndaywel, director general of military intelligence and Belgian citizen, for his alleged involvement in the torture suffered by Franck Diongo during his arrest in 2023. This approach raises questions about the responsibility of actors involved in human rights violations in the DRC.
Franck Diongo’s lawyer stressed that Belgium, under universal jurisdiction laws, can prosecute perpetrators of crimes committed abroad. In the case of General Ndaywel, this possibility is being considered given the allegations of torture and ill-treatment endured by the political opponent.
Franck Diongo described the conditions of his detention at the former Demiap as being marked by inhumane torture and prolonged incommunicado detention. These revelations highlight the regime’s repressive practices towards its political opponents, and the gradual transformation of an authoritarian drift into dictatorial brutality which hits the country’s dissident voices hard.
The approach of Franck Diongo and his lawyer highlights the crucial issues linked to the defense of human rights and the preservation of democratic spaces in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As the country experiences a period of political unrest and uncertainty, Franck Diongo’s granting of political asylum in Belgium raises fundamental questions about the need to protect dissenting voices and ensure true rule of law.
By highlighting the abuses of the regime in place and seeking justice through legal channels, Franck Diongo and his lawyer embody resistance to oppression and repression. Their courageous approach opens the way to a broader reflection on the challenges facing democracy in the DRC, and on the importance of citizen mobilization to defend democratic values and the fundamental rights of all citizens.