Consolee Mukirania and seven other LUCHA members acquitted and released
On 20 January 2021, woman human rights defender Consolee Mukirania, and fellow LUCHA members Kasereka Muhetsya Eze, Kakule Mutsuva Clovis, Mbusa Kikene Elie, Muhindo Vagheni Aziz, Nzila Patrick Pierre, Mumbere Sikuli Delivrance and Lwanzo Nasereka Kahongya were acquitted of all charges of “rebellion” and subsequently released.
On 13 January, the sixth court session took place during which the testimonies of the witnesses in the trial of woman human rights defender Consolee Mukirania and seven other members of LUCHA. On 19 December 2020, human rights defenders Consolee Mukirania, Kasereka Muhetsya Eze, Kakule Mutsuva Clovis, Mbusa Kikene Elie, Muhindo Vagheni Aziz, Nzila Patrick Pierre, Mumbere Sikuli Delivrance and Lwanzo Nasereka Kahongya were arbitrarily arrested by police officers during a peaceful protest in Beni. The defenders remained in detention and were brought before the military Court of Beni-Butembo, where they were all charged with ‘’rebellion’’.
Consolee Mukirania is a human rights defender affiliated with the organisation Lutte pour le Changement (Fight for Change – LUCHA). LUCHA is a non-violent and non-partisan youth civil society movement founded in June 2012 in Goma, North Kivu. The movement advocates for social justice and accountability in DRC through campaigns, and encourages Congolese citizens to fight for the promotion and respect of human rights.
On 20 January 2021, woman human rights defender Consolee Mukirania, and fellow LUCHA members Kasereka Muhetsya Eze, Kakule Mutsuva Clovis, Mbusa Kikene Elie, Muhindo Vagheni Aziz, Nzila Patrick Pierre, Mumbere Sikuli Delivrance and Lwanzo Nasereka Kahongya were acquitted of all charges of “rebellion” and subsequently released.
On 13 January, the sixth court session took place during which the testimonies of the witnesses in the trial of the eight human rights defenders were heard. The defendants were made present themselves before the court eight times in total during the course of this case.
On 19 December 2020, the eight human rights defenders were arrested during a peaceful protest organised by LUCHA in Beni, North-Kivu. The peaceful protest was organised to denounce the inaction of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC(MONUSCO) in response to the killing of civilians by armed groups in Beni, and to call for their departure from the country. The LUCHA members reported that they were beaten by police during the protest, resulting in the injury of twelve and arrest of eight people. The eightwere brought before the military court of Beni-Butembo, despite that fact that they are civilians who were unarmed at the time of their arrest. Consolee Mukirania sustained a wound to her head aften being beaten by police was denied access to a doctor.
Front Line Defenders welcomes the acquittal and subsequent release of the eight members of LUCHA. However, Front Line Defenders is deeply concerned by the targeting and the ill-treatment they were subjected to, as it believes that it was solely motivated by their peaceful and legitimate activities in defense of human rights. Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in DRC to allow its citizens to enjoy their fundamental rights, and to take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of human rights defenders in the country.
On 13 January, the sixth court session took place during which the testimonies of the witnesses in the trial of woman human rights defender Consolee Mukirania and seven other members of LUCHA. On 19 December 2020, human rights defenders Consolee Mukirania, Kasereka Muhetsya Eze, Kakule Mutsuva Clovis, Mbusa Kikene Elie, Muhindo Vagheni Aziz, Nzila Patrick Pierre, Mumbere Sikuli Delivrance and Lwanzo Nasereka Kahongya were arbitrarily arrested by police officers during a peaceful protest in Beni. The defenders remained in detention and were brought before the military Court of Beni-Butembo, where they were all charged with ‘’rebellion’’.
Consolee Mukirania, Kasereka Muhetsya Eze, Kakule Mutsuva Clovis, Mbusa Kikene Elie, Muhindo Vagheni Aziz, Nzila Patrick Pierre, Mumbere Sikuli Delivrance and Lwanzo Nasereka Kahongya are human rights defenders and members of Lutte pour le Changement (Fight for Change – LUCHA). LUCHA is a non-violent and non-partisan youth civil society movement founded in June 2012 in Goma, North Kivu. The movement advocates for social justice and accountability in DRC through campaigns, and encourages Congolese citizens to fight for the promotion and respect of human rights.
On 13 January, the sixth court session took place during which the testimonies of the witnesses in the trial of woman human rights defender Consolee Mukirania and seven other members of LUCHA. On 19 December 2020, the eight human rights defenders were arrested during a peaceful protest organised by LUCHA in Beni, North-Kivu. The peaceful protest was organised to denounce the inaction of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC(MONUSCO) in response to the continuous killing of civilians by armed groups in Beni, and to call for their departure from the country. The LUCHA members reported that they were beaten by the police during the peaceful protest, resulting in the injury of twelve and arrest of eight of its members. Among those arrested and beaten was woman human rights defender Consolee Mukirania, who is suffering from a head wound as a result and has been denied access to a doctor. They were brought before the military court of Beni-Butembo, despite that fact that they are civilians who were unarmed at the time of their arrest.
LUCHA members believe these arbitrary arrests and trial are a reprisal for the organisation’s legitimate and peaceful human rights work. Over the past years, LUCHA members have been targeted for their work in defence of human rights, being subject to arbitrary arrests, detentions, beatings and killings by police officers when asking for the respect of democracy and human rights.
On 26 May 2020, seven LUCHA members were arbitrarily arrested during a peaceful protest when they placed a box draped in the DRC flag outside the front of the Kiwanja police station, to symbolise the coffin of Fréderic-Marcus Kambale, a member of the LUCHA who was shot and killed by a police officer during a peaceful protest organised in Beni, in North-Kivu, on 21 May 2020. They were charged with contempt of national emblem and were released three days later after the Court of Rutshuru cleared them all of the charge.
On 9 September 2019, four LUCHA members were admitted to the hospital after being wounded by police officers in Kananga, Kasai Central province. Eighteen human rights defenders were detained and reportedly whipped by police at the station of the Police Inspector in Kinshasa on 6 September 2019, after organising a peaceful march to demand transparency in a case of alleged misappropriation of USD 15 million of public funds.
On 21 January 2018, four members of LUCHA were arrested by police officers in front of St Joseph’s Cathedral, Goma, while preparing for a protest demanding respect for the constitution.
Front Line Defenders is seriously concerned by the arbitrary detention and trial of the eight human rights defenders and members of LUCHA by a military court as it strongly believes that it is directly linked to their peaceful and legitimate work in defence of human rights.
