A well-known figure in Congolese civil society has been languishing in the jails of the National Intelligence Agency in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for nearly a month and a half. Voices are being raised to demand the release of activist and opponent Gloria Sengha and a collaborator, detained by the security services for more than a month in Kinshasa. On Wednesday, civil society organizations spoke out.
2 mins
with our correspondent in Kinshasa, Pascal Mulegwa
Gloria Sengha had just initiated the “We are fed up with poverty” campaign. Ancient figure of the Lucha, she created her citizen movement, Vici-DRC (Citizen Vigilance), and later joined an opposition party.
Gloria Sengha and her collaborator Robert Bunda were arrested on May 17 by hooded men, some in police uniforms. It was only two weeks later that they were located in the jails of the National Intelligence Agency, where they were deprived of visits and access to their lawyers.
Conditions of detention which seem to have affected the health of the young woman, aged 31. According to her mother, who was allowed to briefly meet the activist at the end of May and beginning of June, her feet have swollen, she suffers from aches and itching and is even deprived of appropriate care.
Opponents and activists believe that Gloria Sengha was arrested because of her citizen campaign “ tolmembi pasi » (“We are fed up with poverty” in Lingala) denouncing the high cost of living.
It is “ a campaign which actually aims to encourage public authorities to resolve the major social problems which plunge our entire population into poverty on the one hand, and to raise awareness among the population of the need to be more demanding towards those who have the daily burden of the Stateprotests Rose Kabala, interim campaign coordinator. How does this campaign violate the laws of the Republic? We demand their immediate and unconditional release! »
The authorities of the DRC remain absolutely silent on the matter. Two security officials told RFI that an investigation is underway to confirm whether the activist “ would be linked to a subversive movement “. Her relatives fear that her attackers will take advantage of this long detention to set up a plot against the activist and have her convicted.
► The FIDH press release on the detention of Gloria Sengha and Robert Bunda