Kinshasa, June 14th, 2026 (CPA). – Several members of citizen movements who were still being held by special services following the opposition sit-in held on Friday in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were released on Sunday through the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), CPA learned from an administrative source. « This Sunday concerns the release of members of citizen movements who were still being held, questioned and deprived of liberty by special services following the protests of June 12 in Kinshasa. They were released thanks to the CNDH, » said Paul Nsapu, President of the national human rights institution. The CNDH president specified that four members of these movements had demonstrated on June 12 in front of the People’s Palace, seat of the Congolese Parliament.
Following their release, Mr. Nsapu held discussions with them on issues of human dignity and respect for legal standards. He assured that all individuals detained by special services had been released. However, members of political parties found carrying bladed weapons (machetes and others) will be referred to courts and tribunals for further investigation, he added.
Paul Nsapu also welcomed the cooperation of security authorities and police services in facilitating the release of the demonstrators.