President joseph kabila

Demand Justice for Kidnapped and Murdered Human Rights Activist

Originally published on September 20, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Joseph Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Goal: Investigate the abduction and murder of a human rights advocate

Eight days after being kidnapped by an armed group of men, the corpse of a human rights activist was found in a forest. While promoting a campaign against forced marriage and human rights abuses, the activist was abducted and murdered by the group committing many human rights violations. The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must investigate the execution of this human rights advocate and bring to justice the men who abducted and killed him.

While working for Rapid Aid to Disaster Victims, Mutebwa Kaboko promoted human rights by providing help to disaster victims. As the organization led a campaign against the practice of forced marriage, Kaboko reported human rights abuses committed by local armed groups such as the Mai-Mai Yakutumba. Earlier this year, the human rights activist had been kidnapped and held prisoner in the forest for five days by the Mai-Mai Yakutumba.

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Release Abducted Human Rights Activists

Originally published on September 9, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Joseph Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Goal: Free the human rights activists abducted by a militant group

While monitoring human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, three activists were abducted by a patrolling militant group. The militia has been arresting any villagers suspected of working for the government or the regular army. Because of their notebooks documenting human rights abuses, the activists have been mistaken for government workers and are still being held captive. The government of the DRC must ensure the immediate release of these human rights activists.

Members of Peasant Action for the Development and Promotion of Human Rights, Celestin Bambone, Kongwa Tulinabo, and Marie Amnazo, had been gathering data on human rights violations when they were abducted. On September 1, members of the National Liberation Forces kidnapped the activists and stole their notebooks. Mistaking them for government employees, the militia is holding them prisoner at their base and refuses to release these three human rights advocates.

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