The Congolese government has come under fire after refusing to grant the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor access to key detention facilities, raising concerns over human rights violations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to the ICC Press Service, Kinshasa authorities denied Karim A. A. Khan access to the notorious DEMIAP basement cell, where detainees are allegedly held under dire conditions. He was also prevented from visiting a so-called private prison in Tshilombo linked to the regime’s Force du Progrès.
An anonymous DEMIAP source confirmed the information, citing security concerns. The refusal to cooperate has fueled speculation that the Congolese government is attempting to conceal grave abuses. “Kinshasa authorities were caught off guard by the prosecutor’s interest in the incarceration conditions at Makala Prison, the criminal investigation process, and the circumstances surrounding the death of Cherubin Okende Senga,” the source revealed.
Adding to Kinshasa’s unease, the ICC prosecutor is also reviewing a dossier on the recent killings in Goma, where clashes erupted between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and members of the Wazalendo. The government’s links with the Wazalendo movement remain under scrutiny.
Further complicating matters, sources indicate that while the ICC Prosecutor General was in Kinshasa last week for a meeting with President Félix Tshisekedi, Congolese government is reportedly engaged in a global lobbying effort to sway opinions in its favour and allegedly attempted to subjugate the prosecutor to its agenda. However, sources say Khan perceived this as an affront to his office and professional integrity, viewing the move as contemptuous and an overreach by the Kinshasa administration.
Observers note that Kinshasa’s refusal to grant access could backfire, exposing authorities to further international scrutiny and legal consequences. “Hopes for a quiet resolution may soon turn into an unpleasant reckoning for what remains of the power in Kinshasa,” a regional analyst warned.
With the ICC’s spotlight firmly fixed on the DRC, the government’s attempts to withhold information may only deepen suspicions of systemic human rights abuses.