The United Nations envoy for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) expressed grave concern today over the wave of arrests and arbitrary detention “of those who seek to express their political views” in the country over the past three days, and reiterated the necessity for all Congolese authorities to respect the rules of the country and ensure protection of free speech.

Raising alarm over “double standards” applied by the authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – allowing pro-government youths to conduct public political activities while repressing dissenting voices – a group of United Nations rights experts today called on the Government to end the “targeted repression” and to guarantee conditions that allow fundamental rights and freedoms to be exercised peacefully.

Wrapping up a visit to Africa’s Great Lakes region, a United Nations envoy today urged stakeholders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) electoral process to do more to help ensure the country is able to hold peaceful elections.

State agents, such as police and armed forces, used excessive – including lethal – force during demonstrations in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), last month, when at least 53 people were killed over two days, 143 injured and more than 299 unlawfully arrested, a United Nations preliminary investigation revealed today.