Zeid's visit to DRC

At the end of a four-day mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein stressed the important progress made in the country, after so many years of turmoil and destruction, including some improvements in economic and social rights and some positive steps towards reform in the justice sector.

The High Commissioner, who visited Goma and Bukavu during his mission and met women survivors of sexual violence at Panzi Hospital, stressed that the "willingness to investigate and convict the perpetrators of sexual violence, no matter how highly placed they may be, can have a decisive impact in preventing such crimes."

“These women... must know that they are valued, and that everything possible will be done to ensure there will never be a repeat of these utterly contemptible violations,” he said.

However Zeid stressed that these advances may be in danger. “As crucial electoral deadlines approach, there is rising tension. I receive reports of increasing violations of fundamental civil and political rights by State actors … The public space for the expression of dissent is now clearly under pressure,” he noted, adding that he is very concerned about "reports of increasing harassment of civil society representatives and journalists, as well as the repression of voices which oppose the Government, and the excessive, and sometimes lethal, dispersal of demonstrations."

The DRC is at “a pivotal moment”, he said.

To read the full statement, please go to: http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2016/07/opening-remarks-un-high-commissioner-human-rights-zeid-raad-al-hussein-press

21 July 2016