First peaceful transfer of power in DR Congo 'an extraordinary opportunity' for advancing rights.

The election of President Felix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marks 'an extraordinary opportunity' for the country to advance civil and political rights, said a senior UN official, on Tuesday at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights (OHCHR), Andrew Gilmour, welcomed Mr. Tshisekedi's inaugural speech in January, in which he made a 'clear commitment' to respect citizens' rights and end discrimination.

The president's recent decree ordering the release of all political prisoners was also to be welcomed, Mr. Gilmour said, in anticipation of their actual release and the closing of all unofficial detention centres.

Mr. Tshisekedi's unexpected election win on 30 December, despite a week's delay due to logistical concerns, coming on top of a two-year delay due to former President Joseph Kabila's reluctance to leave office, marked the first peaceful transfer of power in the country of more than 80 million, since independence from Belgium, almost 60 years ago.

Mr. Kabila governed DRC for 18 years, before agreeing to step down last year, although his former ruling coalition has a majority in the legislature.

In his inaugural speech in late January, according to news reports, the new president said he and his party were committed to building a modern, peaceful, democratic State, and pledged then to release all political detainees.

Mr. Gilmour said that 'such measures, if fulfilled, would represent an exceptionally positive development towards the opening up of democratic space, which has been increasingly restricted in recent years.'

'During the electoral process, such restrictions were obvious. In the weeks just before and after the elections, the Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC documented the killing of at least 36 civilians in elections-related violence' said the OHCHR official, 'most killed by security forces using disproportionate use of force, including the use of live...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT