Kinshasa, February 2nd, 2026 (CPA) . – The launch of a fact-finding mission to investigate the double murder of UN experts Zaida Catalan and Michael Sharp in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was announced in a statement from the National Human Rights Commission received by the CPA on Monday.
« The National Human Rights Commission of the DRC, known as CNDH-RDC, informs the national and international community of the launch of a fact-finding mission in response to human rights violations related to the massacres of civilians in Kasai Central and the double murder of UN experts Zaida Catalán and Michael Sharp in the Kamwena Nsapu crisis, as well as the effective start of the mission’s operations, » the statement read. It was specified that this fact-finding mission has a mandate to investigate all human rights violations and abuses related to the massacres of civilians in Kasai Central between 2016 and 2017. The mission also has a mandate to identify the perpetrators of human rights violations, paying particular attention to those who ordered these abuses and violations, so that they can be brought to justice. It is to make recommendations, in particular on accountability measures that could be taken to prevent similar violations from occurring in the future. It will also collect and verify relevant information and evidence through fieldwork and cooperate with state bodies, including the United Nations, the American and Swedish governments, and the United Nations-mandated monitoring mechanism for the DRC. The CNDH-DRC has invited individuals, groups and organizations to submit information and documents relevant to the mandate of this mission.