[{"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__298918__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"298918","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/298918","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__298918__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__298918__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__298918__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\u003ENearly two weeks after a\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/298259\u0022\u003Emajor political agreement\u003C\/a\u003E was reached in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are more questions than answers regarding how the deal will be implemented, whether there\u2019s real political will on the part of President Joseph Kabila and other political leaders to implement the accord, and whether we\u2019ll see a real reversal of the climate of repression.\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\/30715\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/c1uoq0bw8aaxola.jpg?itok=UU5EAD-L 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/c1uoq0bw8aaxola.jpg?itok=GW2cradf 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\/multimedia_images_2017\/c1uoq0bw8aaxola.jpg?itok=GW2cradf\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022638\u0022 alt=\u0022The citizens\u2019 movement Filimbi holds a press conference in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on January 9, 2017.\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__caption\u0022\u003EThe citizens\u2019 movement Filimbi holds a press conference in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo,\u00a0on January 9, 2017.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2016 Timo Mueller\/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\u003ESoon after the deal was signed, senior officials from Kabila\u2019s ruling coalition said they had signed the agreement \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.radiookapi.net\/lu-sur-le-web\/en-rdc-le-clan-kabila-accepte-la-transition-sous-reserve\u0022\u003Ewith reservations\u003C\/a\u003E,\u201d particularly regarding the need for greater inclusivity. Some also asserted the agreement wasn\u2019t constitutional because it explicitly prevents a referendum to change the constitution. That has raised concerns about whether Kabila is really committed to leaving power, the core issue at the heart of the political crisis. And while Kabila reportedly told the Catholic bishops he is \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.jeuneafrique.com\/389706\/politique\/rd-congo-joseph-kabila-reconduit-mediation-eveques\/\u0022\u003Ecommitted\u003C\/a\u003E to implementation of the deal, he has yet to make a public declaration or sign the agreement himself.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new prime minister, Samy Badibanga, and several other members of the new government appointed on December 18, as well as the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) opposition party, also \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/afrikarabia.com\/wordpress\/rdc-difficile-partage-du-pouvoir-a-kinshasa\/\u0022\u003Ehaven\u2019t signed on\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EA new prime minister from the opposition Rassemblement coalition, as called for in the agreement, has yet to be appointed, and it seems there has been little progress toward reaching an \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.radiookapi.net\/2017\/01\/12\/actualite\/politique\/rdc-4-jours-de-discussions-en-vue-dun-consensus-definitif-sur-la\u0022\u003Eagreement\u003C\/a\u003E on the timetable for implementation of the deal and details on how the follow-up committee will function.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, there has been little progress towards ending government repression against critical voices. As the coordinator of the Filimbi citizens\u2019 movement \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/actualite.cd\/2017\/01\/07\/floribert-anzuluni-partage-pouvoir-semble-pris-dessus-decrispation-politique\/\u0022\u003Elamented\u003C\/a\u003E, \u201cthe sharing of power seems to have taken precedence over confidence building measures.\u201d\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ESeven Congolese media outlets close to the opposition and Radio France Internationale (RFI) in Kinshasa remain blocked.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ELUCHA activist Justin Mutabesha was released on Monday, after 32 days of detention in Goma. The Filimbi activist Carbone Beni was released on Wednesday, after 29 days of secret detention in Kinshasa, first at a military camp and later at an intelligence agency detention center. But at least nine other pro-democracy youth activists remain in detention, including LUCHA activists Jean-Paul Mualaba Biaya and Nicolas Mbiya Kabeya in Mbuji-Mayi, Fabrice Mutsirwa, Jacques Muhindo, Faustin Dunia, and Glody Ntambwe in Goma, and Compte \u00e0 Rembours (\u201cCountdown\u201d) activists Chris Shematsi, John Ngandu and Samuel Bosasele in Kinshasa.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring a press conference Monday attended by Human Rights Watch, the citizens\u2019 movement Filimbi accused government officials of trying to co-opt their movement by organizing a press conference in their name. LUCHA has also decried similar measures. Some of the activists held in detention were reportedly pressured, threatened, or offered money to work for the intelligence services or the ruling coalition as a condition for their release.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EA number of political leaders are also still in detention or have yet to be officially cleared of charges, including the seven so-called \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/298259\u0022\u003E\u201cemblematic\u201d cases\u003C\/a\u003E discussed during the dialogue.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOn Monday, police intervened twice before and during a \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.politico.cd\/actualite\/la-une\/2017\/01\/10\/avocats-de-franck-diongo-client-prisonnier-politique-prive-de-joseph-kabila.html\u0022\u003Epress conference\u003C\/a\u003E in Kinshasa organized by lawyers of opposition leader Franck Diongo, sentenced to five years in prison on December 28, following a hasty trial. Several armed policemen \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.politico.cd\/encontinu\/2017\/01\/09\/police-disperse-point-de-presse-avocats-de-franck-diongo-a-kinshasa.html\u0022\u003Earrested\u003C\/a\u003E two party members, beat up several other Diongo supporters, and destroyed posters and pictures. The police spokesperson says one police officer was wounded in the incident.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOn January 5, opposition leader Gabriel Kyungu was \u003Cu\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sautiyacongo.org\/alerte-la-police-appelee-a-ne-pas-reprimer-les-sympathisants-de-lopposant-kyungu-a-lubumbashi\u0022\u003Esummoned to court\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u00a0to \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.sautiyacongo.org\/rdc-lopposant-kyungu-retourne-chez-lui-apres-son-audition-au-parquet-general-pres-la-cour-dappel-lubumbashi\/\u0022\u003Everify\u003C\/a\u003E the authenticity of a video transcript of a meeting during which he allegedly insulted the president. Two days later, he was reportedly prevented from leaving Lubumbashi for a flight to Kinshasa. The provincial parliament of Haut-Katanga had voted on December 27 to lift his parliamentary immunity. Kyungu has been repeatedly harassed since leaving the presidential majority in September 2015.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EGovernment officials and security forces should drop charges and release activists and others arrested because of their political views or peaceful activities, open banned media outlets, and end all harassment of pro-democracy activists and the political opposition. Justice for past repression is also critical.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EKabila could help address remaining doubts and suspicions clouding the New Year\u2019s Eve deal by signing the agreement himself and making a public commitment to abide by its provisions.\u00a0\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}]