Strong indignation following the death of human rights defender Mr. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire
Paris-Geneva, June 2, 2010. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), expresses its strong indignation following the announcement of the death of Mr. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, Executive Director of Voice of the Voiceless for Human Rights (Voix des sans-voix pour les droits de l’Homme - VSV) and member of OMCT General Assembly, in unclear circumstances.
Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, who was missing since June 1, 2010, was found dead in his car on a road out of Kinshasa on June 2 in the morning by the police. In addition, Mr. Fidèle Bazana Edadi, a member and driver of VSV who accompanied Mr. Chebeya Bahizire, remains missing. As of issuing this Press Release, the Deputy Executive Director of VSV, Mr. Dolly Ibefo Mbunga, had still not been allowed to see the body of Mr. Chebeya Bahizire, and the police told him to return in the morning of June 3.
On June 1, 2010, in the afternoon, Mr. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire had been summoned to meet the General Inspector of the Congolese National Police (IG/PNC), General John Numbi Banza Tambo, for a reason which was to be provided on site.
Accompanied by Mr. Bazana Edadi, Mr. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire went to the offices of IG/PNC, in Lingwala, Kinshasa, around 5:00 pm. His family tried to call him on his cell phone after 9:00 pm but Mr. Chebeya Bahizire did not pick up, while Mr. Bazana Ebadi's phone was turned off. From 1:00 am in the morning, all calls to Mr. Chebeya Bahizire's phone were diverted.
We strongly condemn the death of Mr. Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, a human rights defender known for his fight for justice and human rights, death that occurred in obscure circumstances, and we share the sadness of his family, colleagues and all Congolese human rights defenders ", said Eric Sottas, OMCT Secretary General.
We call on Congolese authorities to carry out an independent investigation to clarify the circumstances of the death of Mr. Chebeya Bahizire and to find out the whereabouts of Mr. Bazana Edadi in the shortest delay. We also call upon MONUC to monitor the case under its mandate of protection of human rights defenders in the country ", said Ms. Belhassen, FIDH President.
More generally, the Observatory urges the Congolese authorities to put an end to all acts of harassment against human rights defenders in DRC, and to comply with the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998 and the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all regional and international human rights instruments ratified by DRC.
For further information, please contact:
- OMCT: Eric Sottas / Delphine Reculeau: + 41 22 809 49 39