Democratic Republic of Congo - Universal Periodic Review

UPR 33, May 7, 2019
Recommendations of Canada

Background

According to UPR Info, a non-profit, non-governmental organization that tracks the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, in the first two cycles, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) received 395 recommendations, of which 322 were accepted (a rate acceptance of more than 81%). Canada’s previous recommendations to the DRC touched on protection of civilians, fight against sexual violence, and the protection of journalists, human rights defenders, and opposition party members.

According to successive reports by the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) in the DRC, the human rights situation has deteriorated. Each report indicates an increase in violations when compared to the previous year; 5% in 2018, 25% in 2017 and 30% in 2016. These increases are explained by the shrinking of democratic space during the two-year postponement of general elections, held in December 2018, as well as by the increase in activities of several armed groups. In addition to this degradation, violations documented by the UNJHRO were mostly committed by Congolese State agents, the remaining being attributed to armed groups (respectively 61% and 39% in 2018). In 2018, 1169 people were executed, comprising of 389 extrajudicial and arbitrary executions by State agents and 780 by armed groups and militias.

According to the Human Rights Watch Submission to the UPR of the DRC (October 2018), since 2015, more than 300 people were killed by Congolese security forces during mostly peaceful protests. More than 1,800 opposition members, human rights defenders or activists were imprisoned. In March 2017, two human rights investigators mandated by the United Nations, Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan, were murdered during their investigations in the DRC in a context that remains murky. According to the Report of the Secretary-General on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (April 2018), the number of cases of sexual violence doubled compared to 2016, with a total of 5 783 cases reported by the United Nations Population Fund in conflict areas.

Recommendations

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Thank you, Mr. President.

Canada is encouraged by progress in human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the presidential pardon of hundreds of prisoners of conscience and other arbitrarily detained. We hope this trend will continue.

Canada recommends that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo:

1. Ensure that the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly are respected in conformity with international standards and that members of political parties, journalists and human rights activists are able to exercise their activities without being subject to intimidation, reprisals or harassment;
2. Implement the necessary measures to improve respect for human rights by investigating allegations of human rights violations by security forces and ensuring protection of civilians in conflict-torn areas;
3. Reinforce its efforts to combat sexual violence, scale up the provision of services to survivors, ensure that survivors and witnesses are protected and that reparations are provided; and
4. Implement the necessary measures to prevent the exploitation of children in artisanal mining and measures to address their health, physical, educational, economic and psychological needs.