[{"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__302127__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"302127","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/302127","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__302127__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__302127__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__302127__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\u003ESecurity forces fired teargas and arrested over 80 people to break up or prevent small demonstrations across the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/africa\/democratic-republic-congo\u0022\u003EDemocratic Republic of Congo\u003C\/a\u003E yesterday. Opposition parties had called for protests against the failed implementation of the New Year\u2019s Eve \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-298259\u0022\u003Eagreement\u003C\/a\u003E, a power-sharing deal mediated by the Catholic Church last year after President Joseph Kabila refused to step down from power at the end of his two-term limit.\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\/31518\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/2017-04-drc-africa-kinshasa-protests.jpg?itok=ndeiMTu6 450w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/2017-04-drc-africa-kinshasa-protests.jpg?itok=FDVndMD6 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\/2017-04-drc-africa-kinshasa-protests.jpg?itok=FDVndMD6\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u00221511\u0022 alt=\u0022Empty streets in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, April 10, 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\u003EEmpty streets in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, April 10, 2017.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2017 Private\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\u003EYesterday in the capital, Kinshasa, daily life came to a near stand-still in the morning with many shops closed and roads largely empty. Small groups of people attempted to protest in Kalamu, Kimbanseke, Lemba, Limete, Masina, Matete, Ndjili, and Ngaliema neighborhoods, but they were quickly dispersed by security forces, who in some cases fired teargas on groups of protesters. Some protesters in turn threw rocks at the police. At least 40 people were arrested across Kinshasa, around a dozen of whom were released by the end of the day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ESecurity forces arrested at least 12 people in Bukavu; 10 in Kindu; 10 in Lubumbashi; seven in Kongolo; five in Mbuji-Mayi, and four in Kamina. Forces also beat protesters in Kamina, wounding at least six people. Small protests in Bunia and Mbandaka were dispersed without any arrests reported. In Beni and Kananga, opposition parties decided against a protest and instead called for a \u003Cem\u003Eville morte\u003C\/em\u003E \u2013 literally a \u201cdead city.\u201d Numerous shops remained closed, and many people stayed home. Local activists reported unusually high numbers of security forces deployed in other cities, including in Kananga, Kisangani, Bandundu, and Kikwit.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe national police spokesperson, Col. Pierrot Mwanamputu, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.radiookapi.net\/2017\/04\/10\/actualite\/securite\/colonel-mwanamputu-la-police-empechera-toute-manifestation-publique\u0022\u003Esaid\u003C\/a\u003E on Sunday that \u201cthe police will prevent all non-authorized and politically motivated demonstrations across the territory.\u201d Congolese authorities have repeatedly declared \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis#blog-296110\u0022\u003Eunjustified ban\u003C\/a\u003Es on political protests led by the opposition, further shrinking the country\u2019s democratic space.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe relatively low turnout during yesterday\u2019s protests seems to have been due in part to the fear of government repression, as well as the fatigue of protesting with little tangible results. Scores of people were killed during political protests last \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2016\/12\/16\/dr-congo-kabila-should-commit-leave-office\u0022\u003ESeptember\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/298132\u0022\u003EDecember\u003C\/a\u003E. Pro-democracy youth activists and others say yesterday\u2019s protests could have been bigger if it were about telling Kabila he needs to step down, but people aren\u2019t willing to risk their lives about a fight over posts in a transitional government.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOn Friday, Kabila nominated Bruno Tshibala, a former opposition leader, to be the new prime minister. Tshibala had been dismissed from the main opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), in early March. Many viewed his appointment as a violation of the New Year\u2019s Eve agreement, which calls for the prime minister during the transition to be chosen by the Rassemblement opposition coalition. The \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eeas.europa.eu\/delegations\/dr-congo-kinshasa\/24444\/declaration-locale-de-la-delegation-de-lunion-europeenne_fr\u0022\u003EEuropean Union\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/us7.campaign-archive1.com\/?u=bb5815b475de861b33d34f6fe\u0026amp;id=b2b20f5259\u0022\u003EBelgium\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.diplomatie.gouv.fr\/fr\/dossiers-pays\/republique-democratique-du-congo\/evenements\/article\/republique-democratique-du-congo-nomination-du-premier-ministre-07-04-17\u0022\u003EFrance\u003C\/a\u003E all raised concerns about his appointment and called for full implementation of the December deal. The EU also warned that they stand ready to impose additional \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/300811\u0022\u003Etargeted sanctions\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0against those responsible for serious human rights abuses.\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}]