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Urgent Action Victory! Activist And His Lawyer Released Without Charge (Democratic Republic Of Congo: UA 162.17)

Jean-Marie Kalonji, an activist with the youth movement Quatrieme voie/ il est temps, and his colleague and lawyer Sylva Mbikayi were released without charge on 17 July. The two had been held in incommunicado detention by military intelligence agents since 23 June.

Jean-Marie Kalonji and Sylva Mbikayi were released without charge on 17 July after 24 days in incommunicado detention at a military facility.

Jean-Marie Kalonji was arrested on 23 June when he was stopped by soldiers at an exit checkpoint of a military camp in Kinshasa. When he explained that he could not show his passport as it was with an embassy where he had applied for a visa, the soldiers started questioning his nationality and searched his bag which contained flyers for a Lumumba scholarship programme set up by the youth movement Quartrieme Voie/ il est temps (the fourth way/ it is time). Sylva Mbikayi was arrested when he arrived at the military camp to assist Jean-Marie Kalonji.

Jean-Marie Kalonji is the coordinator of the youth movement Quatrieme voie/ il est temps.which aims to defend the rights of the Congolese youth and has campaigned for peace and democracy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Sylva Mbikayi is a lawyer who supports the youth movement.

No further action is requested of the UA network. Many thanks to those who sent appeals.

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