Opposition youth leader still detained one year on

Opposition youth leader Christian Lumu Lukusa has been in arbitrary detention since 22 November 2017, when he was arrested in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He was arrested by men believed to be agents of the National Intelligence Agency (Agence Nationale de Renseignements, ANR). Family visits have been restricted and he has not been allowed access to a lawyer.

Christian Lumu Lukusa was arrested while on his way to school on 22 November 2017 at around noon in the commercial place of Limete in Kinshasa, by men believed to be ANR agents. Since then, he has only been allowed limited communication and visits from his family. He has been denied access to a lawyer and has not been brought before a court. Amnesty International is concerned about his health as he suffers from pleurisy, a condition he had before he was arrested, which has since become worse due to the poor detention conditions. He has been denied access to adequate healthcare and treatment.

Christian Lumu Lukusa is a member and leader in the Youth League of DRC’s largest opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Union pour la Democratie et le Progres Social, UDPS).

Amnesty International has documented several cases of DRC authorities’ unlawful restrictions and suppression of the civic space in the country including through arbitrary arrests and detention, ill-treatment and attacks on pro-democracy activists, human rights defenders and political opponents.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The DRC’s National Intelligence Agency (Agence Nationale de Renseignements, ANR) has been used by the government to intimidate and silence opposition members, journalists, activists and human rights defenders.  The agency operates as a surveillance tool spying on the political opposition, youth activists and human rights defenders. ANR agents are also usually positioned alongside the police and the military during protests which have mostly been characterised by human rights violations including excessive use of force.

On 30 December 2017, activists Grâce Tshiunza, Mino Bopomi, Cedric Kalonji, Palmer Kabeya and Carbone Beni were arrested while mobilizing the public to participate in peaceful demonstrations to demand implementation of the 31 December 2016 Agreement for an «inclusive, peaceful and credible election.» Two days later they were transferred into ANR custody to an unknown location and held incommunicado for four months. The five FILIMBI activists were reportedly tortured and denied access to healthcare and medical treatment while in incommunicado detention. Four of them, excluding Palmer Kabeya, were then found guilty for the crimes of «insulting the President», «publication of subversive writings» and «civil disobedience» and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment on 24 September 2018.

Name: Christian Lumu Lukusa (male)