Kinshasa, June 24th, 2026 (CPA).- Human rights violations linked to the demonstration scheduled for July 8th are feared, the Minister of Human Rights of the Democratic Republic of the Congo revealed on Wednesday during a meeting in Kinshasa with representatives of ruling and opposition political parties, civil society organizations and religious denominations. “We did not fail to report what we have learned from several corroborating sources. We have been informed that during the upcoming demonstrations, including the one planned for July 8, there will be attacks on human lives among the participants and that this will be done in order to place responsibility on public officials,” said Samuel Mbemba, Minister of Human Rights.
“In other words, the organizers of the demonstration themselves are allegedly preparing to commit these acts and then attribute responsibility to public agents,” he added while briefing the press on the outcome of the meeting held with representatives of various stakeholders. Regarding the purpose of the meeting, he reiterated the Government’s determination to protect the life of every Congolese citizen.“The objective was to remind everyone that every Congolese life matters to the Government and that, in fulfilling our duty to promote and protect human rights, we are working to ensure that if demonstrations take place, there are no violations of human rights, no harm to the physical integrity of individuals, and that citizens’ property is also protected,” he stressed, while recalling that freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution. He further emphasized: “For the Ministry in charge of Human Rights, the rights of every Congolese citizen matter. The demonstrators you mobilize must be able to protest and return home with their physical integrity preserved and their lives intact.” In the same vein, he maintained that the municipality of Gombe remains a neutral zone that must be respected. “The municipality of Gombe was declared a neutral zone. This has nothing to do with the current demonstrations but was based on security considerations. Therefore, any demonstrations organized should not constitute acts of provocation, because entering a zone that has long been declared neutral is itself a provocation. The Ministry of Human Rights has a duty to denounce this, because those who may take part in such demonstrations deserve protection,” Minister Mbemba stated. The Human Rights Minister also disclosed that a consultation framework had been established to facilitate information-sharing with various stakeholders regarding developments on the ground and any potential human rights violations, with a view to conducting investigations where necessary. “Beyond everything else, the representatives who participated in the meeting proposed the establishment of a consultation framework enabling them to periodically provide the Government with information at their disposal and, where necessary, jointly assess developments or even organize investigations in cases of alleged human rights violations,” Samuel Mbemba concluded. In a statement issued on June 19th, 2026, the Ministry of Human Rights had convened the meeting for Wednesday, June 24th. The initiative forms part of the Government’s commitment to promoting dialogue among the different components of national life regarding the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Congolese Constitution.