[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296307__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"296307","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/296307","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296307__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296307__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296307__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ECongolese authorities are taking increasingly aggressive measures to stifle the political opposition, blocking radio signals and surrounding the home of the opposition leader ahead of planned protests this past weekend.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EEarly Saturday morning, ahead of public meetings in cities throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities cut the signal for Radio France International (RFI) in Kinshasa and the southern city of Lubumbashi, and jammed the signal for the United Nations-supported Radio Okapi. RFI was allowed back on the air in Lubumbashi on Saturday, but it\u2019s still blocked in Kinshasa, and Radio Okapi also remains jammed in parts of Kinshasa \u2013 for the fourth day in a row.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/20416\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/media\/images\/photographs\/2014AFR_DRC_Cartoon_French.jpg?itok=6d1vf8c5 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/media\/images\/photographs\/2014AFR_DRC_Cartoon_French.jpg?itok=lcfEwRPf 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/media\/images\/photographs\/2014AFR_DRC_Cartoon_French.jpg?itok=lcfEwRPf\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022517\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2008 Anthony de Bibo\/Human Rights Watch\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EBy interfering with the signals of the two main radio stations in Congo, officials are blocking access for millions to credible, independent reporting.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe government communications minister, Lambert Mende, justified the move by claiming RFI had \u201ctransformed itself into the press attach\u00e9 of the opposition.\u201d But the real goal seems to be to try prevent people from hearing about the opposition meeting and the government\u2019s repressive moves to prevent the meeting from going ahead. \u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EPolice in riot gear and armored vehicles surrounded the home of opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, due to speak at Saturday\u2019s meeting, as well as the area outside the Stade de Martyrs, where the meeting was due to be held. They blocked Tshisekedi from leaving his home and fired teargas to disperse supporters. Organized soccer matches \u2013 including police and soldiers playing in civilian clothes, according to witnesses \u2013 were held throughout the day outside the Stade de Martyrs, apparently to block access to the areas where people were due to congregate for the meeting. Security force officers recruited and paid members of youth leagues to infiltrate and cause disorder during the opposition meeting, if it went forward, according to one of the recruits.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe night before the planned meeting, police arrested opposition UPDS member H\u00e9ritier Bokopo Lifula for having allegedly organized the theft of weapons and ammunition from police stations during the demonstrations in Kinshasa on September 19 and 20. According to his lawyer, security forces looted Lifula\u2019s home during the arrest, and he has not yet been allowed to see his client held at the police station.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, in the eastern city of Goma, police prevented members of the Rassemblement opposition coalition from holding a meeting at the Bungwe hotel. One of the police officers told Human Rights Watch later, \u201cI could not authorize this meeting. If I did, I would be sanctioned by my superiors, and how would I then feed my children?\u201d\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EFurther south, on Monday, intelligence agents arrested the director general of the radio and TV station \u201cManika\u201d and a colleague in Kolwezi, Lualaba province, after he broadcast an interview with the opposition leader, presidential candidate, and former governor Moise Katumbi, whose soccer team Tout Puissant Mazembe won a match on Sunday. \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2016\/05\/09\/dr-congo-crackdown-presidential-aspirant\u0022\u003EKatumbi\u003C\/a\u003E was convicted earlier this year in absentia in a politically motivated trial and sentenced to three years in prison and a US$1 million fine. Both journalists were released earlier today.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThese developments come less than six weeks before the December 19 deadline for when President Joseph Kabila is due to step down at the end of his constitutionally mandated two-term limit.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOver the past two years, Congolese authorities have repeatedly cracked down on journalists and the media. Authorities have blocked the RFI signal several times during sensitive political moments, and the government has shut down a number of media outlets close to the opposition, at least seven of which remain blocked. According to Reporters Without Borders, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rsf.org\/en\/news\/rsf-and-jed-alarmed-police-colonels-threats-against-radio-okapi-journalist\u0022\u003Eauthorities have assaulted or persecuted at least 63 journalists since January 2016\u003C\/a\u003E. In an apparent attempt to block independent observers from documenting government repression during demonstrations in Kinshasa on September 19, security forces detained at least eight Congolese and international journalists \u2013 including RFI\u2019s Sonia Rolley, an Agence France-Presse photographer, and two TV5 journalists. They were all released by the evening. In January 2015, authorities \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2015\/01\/24\/dr-congo-deadly-crackdown-protests\u0022\u003Eshut down\u003C\/a\u003E all internet and text message communication in Kinshasa and elsewhere when political demonstrations erupted across the country in which at least 43 people were killed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EIn statements issued over the past few days, the Congolese human rights organization \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sautiyacongo.org\/rdc-la-vsv-denonce-latteinte-a-la-liberte-de-presse-et-exige-le-retablissement-immediat-du-signal-de-rfi\/\u0022\u003EVoix des Sans Voix (VSV)\u003C\/a\u003E and the 33-organization \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sautiyacongo.org\/rdc-interdiction-dune-reunion-publique-coupure-du-signal-de-rfi-et-brouillage-de-radio-okapi-condamnes-par-33-ong\/\u0022\u003ECoalition for the Respect of the Constitution\u003C\/a\u003E denounced the government\u2019s abuse of power and called for the RFI and Radio Okapi signals to be restored immediately. The secretary-general of the International Organization of the Francophonie called the move \u201cunacceptable,\u201d while the French foreign minister called it an \u201cincomprehensible decision in today\u2019s world.\u201d The United States embassy said it is \u201cdeeply troubled by the apparent jamming\u201d of RFI and Radio Okapi signals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EVisiting Congo later this week, the UN Security Council should deliver strong public messages to Congolese authorities, denouncing these and other forms of political repression and calling for basic freedoms to be respected.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]