Kinshasa, March 30th, 2026 (CPA).– The presentation of the report on the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has once again been announced in Geneva, Switzerland, within the framework of the General Assembly of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, CPA learned Monday from a Congolese civil society institution. “In territories occupied by the Rwandan army and its M23-AFC auxiliaries, there are executions that are not even extrajudicial, but summary, because there have never been trials. The situation is dark, very dark. In terms of human rights violations, in all these occupied territories, it is worse. This is what we have come here to say. All reports attest to this—damning reports—and that of the National Human Rights Commission of the DRC is highly awaited,” said Paul Nsapu, President of the CNDH-DRC, as relayed by his institution’s press service. The same report had already been presented on March 25th in Geneva by the CNDH during an enhanced “interactive dialogue,” notably on the human rights situation in the DRC, organized by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The opportunity was also given to the government to present its own assessment of the situation. During this first session, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also presented an updated report on the human rights situation in the Congo. This also enabled the President of the CNDH-DRC to deliver a statement on the country’s human rights situation.
The same report presented during the interactive dialogue
According to the source, the President of the CNDH-DRC acknowledged that there are challenges across the national territory. He pointed to what he described as “traditional” human rights violations, covering civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, as well as collective and category-specific rights. “By coming here, it is to denounce human rights situations so that effective, measurable and concrete sanctions can be taken,” Paul Nsapu insisted, according to the source, noting that such sanctions would help correct the situation.
“Otherwise, we risk institutionalizing impunity, which the CNDH rejects,” he added.
Regarding accusations made by the political opposition against the government in Kinshasa of carrying out arbitrary arrests and undermining freedom of expression, Mr. Nsapu stated that perceptions depend on one’s standpoint. However, he stressed that in areas under government control, people are able to speak out and refer cases to the CNDH for solutions when facing difficulties. “This is not the case in areas where the Rwandan army and its auxiliaries are present. There are issues to be resolved across the country, but in the East, the situation is worse,” he said. He further noted that in government-controlled areas, the legislative framework provides sufficient protection in terms of human rights. “There are mechanisms in place, such as the Fonarev and the FRI-VAO, among others. Efforts are ongoing, but they are still insufficient,” he explained, adding that reports and recommendations are regularly submitted to the government and State institutions to improve the overall human rights situation. It was also announced that the President of the CNDH will take part, on the sidelines of the GAHNRI assembly, in the General Assembly of the Francophone Association of National Human Rights Institutions, scheduled for March 31st, 2026, which will enable participants to adopt substantive amendments proposed by member commissions.