In a letter released today, Human Rights Watch raised urgent concerns that detained dissidents in the Democratic Republic of Congo are at risk of torture.
"We are particularly concerned about the fate of these dissidents because in similar circumstances last year, a detainee died as a result of torture," said Suliman Ali Baldo, senior researcher for Human Rights Watch. "Professor Wamba and his Ugandan supporters can ensure that these political detainees are not mistreated in custody and must do so."
The international monitoring group strongly appealed to the rebel movement --and its Ugandan backers -- to ensure that the detained individuals are not subjected to torture or to ill treatment. Human Rights Watch urged Wamba and Uganda to grant full access to all places of detention to the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations.
