• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: Activists Risk Prison After Peaceful Protest (Democratic Republic of Congo: UA 218.17)

September 22, 2017

Congolese pro-democracy activists Jean Mulenda, Patrick Mbuya, Jean-Pierre Tshibitshabu and Eric Omari were sentenced to eight months in prison on 30 August. They have appealed the sentence. A fifth activist, Timothée Mbuya (*pictured*) is still facing trial. The five were arrested on 31 July for their involvement in public protests demanding the publication of the elections calendar. They are currently in custody. 1) TAKE ACTION Write a letter, send an email, call, fax or tweet:
  • Urging the DRC authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Jean Mulenda, Timothée Mbuya, Patrick Mbuya, Jean-Pierre Tshibitshabu and Eric Omari, as they are prisoners of conscience detained solely for peacefully exercising their human rights;
  • Urging the authorities to ensure that, pending their release, the guards stop extorting money from families and lawyers.

Contact these two officials by 3 November 2017:

Minister of Justice Mr. Alexis Tambwe Mwamba Ministère de la Justice 228 Avenue de Lemera BP 3137 Kinshasa-Gombe DRC Email: [email protected] Salutation: Honourable Minister  

Ambassador François Balumuene, Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo 1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 725, Washington, D.C. 20036 Tel: 202 234 7690 I Fax: 202 234 2609 -OR- 202 223 3377 Email: [email protected] Salutation: Dear Ambassador

2) LET US KNOW YOU TOOK ACTION Click here to let us know if you took action on this case! This is Urgent Action 218.17  Here’s why it is so important to report your actions: we record the actions taken on each case—letters, emails, calls and tweets—and use that information in our advocacy. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES