[{"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__300811__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"300811","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/300811","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__300811__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__300811__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__300811__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\u003EThe European Union\u2019s Foreign Affairs Council is due to discuss the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo on March 6. Given the continuing political repression, lack of accountability for past abuses, and large-scale violence that has broken out in many parts of the country, the EU should use this meeting to impose additional \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-297602\u0022\u003Etargeted sanctions\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 including travel bans and asset freezes \u2013 against those found to be most responsible for serious human rights violations.\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\/31204\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/2017-03-eu-flag-brussels-eca.jpg?itok=PTLrHJNz 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/2017-03-eu-flag-brussels-eca.jpg?itok=98zA4ItR 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\/2017-03-eu-flag-brussels-eca.jpg?itok=98zA4ItR\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022561\u0022 alt=\u0022European Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, October 28, 2015.\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\u003EEuropean Union flags flutter outside the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, October 28, 2015.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2015 Reuters\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tOn December 12, EU foreign ministers\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/en\/press\/press-releases\/2016\/12\/12-drc-sanctions\/\u0022\u003Eannounced\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0targeted sanctions against\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=uriserv:OJ.LI.2016.336.01.0001.01.ENG\u0026amp;\u0026amp;toc=OJ:L:2016:336I:TOC\u0022\u003Eseven\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0senior security officials who played a key role in the repression over the past two years. The EU said then that \u201cadditional restrictive measures may be considered in the event of further violence or the political process being impeded\u201d in the country.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tThese measures \u2013 announced the same day as the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/297669\u0022\u003EUnited States\u003C\/a\u003E imposed targeted sanctions against senior Congolese officials \u2013 seem to have made a real impact, rattling the country\u2019s political and security elite and pressing President Joseph Kabila\u2019s ruling coalition to make real concessions and endorse a Catholic Church-mediated \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/299587\u0022\u003Edeal\u003C\/a\u003E on New Year\u2019s Eve. The agreement calls for presidential elections to be held by the end of 2017 and says there will be no referendum nor changes to the constitution to allow Kabila to run for a third term.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tYet more than two months later, progress on implementing the deal has been at a near standstill \u2013 the so-called \u003Cem\u003E\u201carrangements particuliers\u201d\u003C\/em\u003E setting out how the deal will be implemented have yet to be agreed upon, the new government has yet to be appointed, and there is still no electoral calendar. Commitments made in the deal on releasing political prisoners and opening arbitrarily closed \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/296717\u0022\u003Emedia outlets\u003C\/a\u003E have not been implemented.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tSince the last round of EU sanctions, security forces killed more than 50 people during \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/298132\u0022\u003Eprotests\u003C\/a\u003E across the country on and around December 19, the last day of Kabila\u2019s constitutionally mandated, two-term limit. Scores of opposition leaders and supporters, pro-democracy youth activists, and peaceful protesters were jailed.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tViolence has intensified across the country in recent months, leaving several hundred dead, including in\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2015\/08\/11\/dr-congo-ethnic-militias-attack-civilians-katanga\u0022\u003ETanganyika\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2016\/10\/07\/dr-congo-protect-civilians-beni-attack\u0022\u003ENorth-Kivu\u003C\/a\u003E, and the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2017\/02\/24\/dr-congo-ensure-justice-killings-kasais\u0022\u003EKasai\u003C\/a\u003E provinces, as well as in the capital, Kinshasa. Some of these situations are linked to the broader political crisis and Kabila\u2019s attempts to remain in power.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tThe EU played an important role in increasing the pressure on Kabila in late 2016 and in working to curb political repression and seeking to hold those responsible for serious abuses to account.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026#13;\n\tAnnouncing a new round of targeted sanctions now \u2013 and going further up the chain of command \u2013 would send a strong message that the EU is still committed to protecting human rights; ensuring the organization of credible, timely elections; and working to prevent a further deterioration of an already explosive situation in Congo.\u00a0\u003C\/div\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}]