Arusha / 11 April 2025 — Three Congolese citizens — Masoso Bideri Antoinnette, David Fati Karambi, and Mandro Logoliga Paul — have filed a case before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in Arusha, Tanzania, against the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The case, officially registered as Reference No. 17 of 2025, accuses the Congolese government of decades of systematic persecution and marginalization of the Banyamulenge, Hema, and Tutsi communities in North Kivu and Ituri.
This landmark legal action is backed by the Collectif des Avocats des Parties Civiles, a coalition of international lawyers based in Brussels, London, Nairobi, and New York.
The collective argues that the DRC has violated its obligations under the East African Community (EAC) Treaty and international human rights law—including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights—by enabling, supporting, or ignoring grave human rights abuses committed by both state and non-state actors.
According to the official press release issued by the collective on 11 April 2025, the legal action seeks to hold the DRC accountable for:
1.Collaborating with and supporting armed groups responsible for atrocities—including Wazalendo militias, Mai-Mai factions, and the FDLR.
2.Ethnic killings, mass displacement, and ethnic cleansing.
3.Endemic racism and gender-based violence.
4.Persecution through hate speech, propaganda, and denial of citizenship.
5.Systematic destruction of infrastructure such as schools and places of worship.
6.Restriction of movement and access to education and healthcare.
7.Economic blockades and deliberate exclusion from banking and trade systems.
The applicants are calling on the EACJ to:
•Officially declare the DRC responsible for these violations.
•Order reparations to the affected communities.
•Compel the government to guarantee equal citizenship rights, equitable economic access, and enforce measures to prevent the recurrence of such abuses.
The EACJ has formally notified the DRC Ministry of Justice, granting them 45 days to respond.
Failure to do so will result in the court proceeding in the government’s absence.
“We are calling on the international community to give visibility to these long-silenced communities. This is not just a legal case — it’s a cry for justice, recognition, and dignity,” said Innocent Nteziryayo, UK-based lawyer and co-coordinator of the legal collective.
Also speaking on behalf of the team, Bernard Maingain (Brussels), Jean Paul Shaka (New York), and John S. Nyanje (Nairobi) emphasized that the East African Court of Justice must show courage in confronting this long-running crisis, which they say has worsened since the DRC’s accession to the EAC.
The case is being closely followed by human rights organizations across the Great Lakes region, as it could set a precedent for regional justice and state accountability within the EAC framework.
Contacts for Media Inquiries:
Email: info.collectifdesavocats@gmail.com
Phone: +254722425259 / +447479965674