Democratic Republic of Congo
30.07.02
Urgent Interventions
DRCongo: a defender's health in danger
Case COD 090500.1
Follow-up to Case COD 090500
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Democratic Republic of Congo.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga, Editor of La Libre Afrique, whose state of health has deteriorated severely.
According to the information received, from Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme, a member of the OMCT network, Freddy Loseke, in a letter from his cell on 1st September 2000, stated that he is extremely ill and has been confined to his bed for 10 days. He further noted that his right leg is paralysed and that he suffers from kidney failure. Freddy Loseke is currently detained in the the Centre penitentiaire et de reeducation de Kinshasa (CPRK, ex-Prison centrale de Makala).
A communique by La Libre Afrique, confirms that doctors treating Freddy Loseke, in the University clinic of Mont-Amba, had already diagnosed this illness. Also, it was noted that this kidney failure was confirmed in reports, on 29th and 31st August 2000, from the Medical Centre of the CPRK.
Freddy Loseke has stated that he was subjected torture during his long detention in a military camp preceeding his trial. Also, in view of the fact that Freddy Loseke has already served one quarter of his sentence (3 years imprisonment for "outrage à l'armée" - insulting the army), OMCT calls for his immediate release and transfer to a specialised medical centre.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT expressed its concern for the physical and psychological integrity of Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga, Editor of La Libre Afrique, who had been in custody since his arrest on 31 December 1999 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was reportedly in severe ill-health as a result of being tortured while in custody.
He was sentenced in May 2000 to three years imprisonment for "outrage a l'armee". It is believed that his trial was politically motivated. The prosecution had demanded a 10-year prison sentence for Freddy Loseke on charges of "outrage à l'armée". The charge relates to two articles which Freddy Loseke wrote in late December 1999 about alleged unrest within the armed forces. According to the information, Mr. Loseke had appeared before the Cour d'Ordre Militaire on several occasions and his case has repeatedly been adjourned because the prosecution has failed to provide the relevant documentation.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga and order his immediate release from prison and transfer to a specialised medical centre;
ii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
The President Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo. Fax (+ 243) 880 02 120
Mr Mwenze Kongolo, Minister of Justice, Ministère de la Justice, BP 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo.
Mr Gaetan Kakudji, Minister of the Intérieur, Ministère de l'Intérieur, Hôtel du Conseil exécutif, Kinshasa - Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo.
Geneva, September 6, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to Case COD 090500
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Democratic Republic of Congo.
New Information
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga, Editor of La Libre Afrique, whose state of health has deteriorated severely.
According to the information received, from Agir Ensemble pour les Droits de l'Homme, a member of the OMCT network, Freddy Loseke, in a letter from his cell on 1st September 2000, stated that he is extremely ill and has been confined to his bed for 10 days. He further noted that his right leg is paralysed and that he suffers from kidney failure. Freddy Loseke is currently detained in the the Centre penitentiaire et de reeducation de Kinshasa (CPRK, ex-Prison centrale de Makala).
A communique by La Libre Afrique, confirms that doctors treating Freddy Loseke, in the University clinic of Mont-Amba, had already diagnosed this illness. Also, it was noted that this kidney failure was confirmed in reports, on 29th and 31st August 2000, from the Medical Centre of the CPRK.
Freddy Loseke has stated that he was subjected torture during his long detention in a military camp preceeding his trial. Also, in view of the fact that Freddy Loseke has already served one quarter of his sentence (3 years imprisonment for "outrage à l'armée" - insulting the army), OMCT calls for his immediate release and transfer to a specialised medical centre.
Brief reminder of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT expressed its concern for the physical and psychological integrity of Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga, Editor of La Libre Afrique, who had been in custody since his arrest on 31 December 1999 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was reportedly in severe ill-health as a result of being tortured while in custody.
He was sentenced in May 2000 to three years imprisonment for "outrage a l'armee". It is believed that his trial was politically motivated. The prosecution had demanded a 10-year prison sentence for Freddy Loseke on charges of "outrage à l'armée". The charge relates to two articles which Freddy Loseke wrote in late December 1999 about alleged unrest within the armed forces. According to the information, Mr. Loseke had appeared before the Cour d'Ordre Militaire on several occasions and his case has repeatedly been adjourned because the prosecution has failed to provide the relevant documentation.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga and order his immediate release from prison and transfer to a specialised medical centre;
ii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
The President Laurent-Désiré Kabila. Présidence de la République, Kinshasa-Ngaliema, République Démocratique du Congo. Fax (+ 243) 880 02 120
Mr Mwenze Kongolo, Minister of Justice, Ministère de la Justice, BP 3137, Kinshasa Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo.
Mr Gaetan Kakudji, Minister of the Intérieur, Ministère de l'Intérieur, Hôtel du Conseil exécutif, Kinshasa - Gombé, République Démocratique du Congo.
Geneva, September 6, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.