Civils caught in the crossfire as rights abuses persist in DR Congo

The 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council opened this Monday in Geneva, Switzerland, providing a platform for the UN to review human rights situations across the globe.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, rights violations continue unabated, particularly in the eastern part of the country, where civilian populations endure a range of abuses, including drone strikes. In the west, numerous human rights organizations are raising alarms over arbitrary arrests and detentions in undisclosed locations.

Documented abuses, yet perpetrators rarely face justice

Human rights groups describe the situation in the DRC as deeply concerning, whether in the east—partially controlled by the AFC/M23—or in the west, which remains under the administration of Congolese authorities.

“The United Nations, along with international and local organizations, continues to document these violations. In government-controlled areas, individuals are being held in official prisons or secret detention sites without knowing the charges against them. Those responsible within state institutions are seldom prosecuted,” explains Jean-Claude Katende, president of the African Association for the Defense of Human Rights (ASADHO), which has persistently highlighted the prevailing impunity.

CNDH calls for sanctions against AFC/M23

For the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), the most severe human rights abuses are largely attributable to the AFC/M23. The CNDH has reiterated its appeal for the international community to impose sanctions on the rebels.

“We deplore the extreme violations of human rights and attacks on the right to life in areas occupied by the M23 rebels. These are essentially violations that strike at the core of human rights. Naturally, across the entire national territory, we will demonstrate in Geneva that these are also human rights violations, but they fall into the traditional category that requires conditions supported by a strong economy,” insists Paul Nsapu, president of the CNDH.

Beyond the discussions in Geneva, human rights defenders in the DRC are demanding concrete actions. For them, the central issue remains justice: documenting abuses, identifying perpetrators, and ending the cycle of impunity.