Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized the security forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for their actions that resulted in the deaths of numerous protesters who were demonstrating against UN forces.
According to the government, at least 43 individuals lost their lives when soldiers dispersed a protest against UN peacekeepers in the city of Goma in the eastern part of the country on Wednesday. Additionally, dozens were injured, and over 150 individuals were detained, including the leader of a religious group.
Initially, authorities had reported that only seven people had died, which included a police officer who had been killed by stoning.
In a statement, HRW called for the suspension, investigation, and fair and public trials of officials responsible for authorizing the use of unlawful lethal force. HRW also condemned the troops’ actions, stating that they appeared to have fired into a crowd to prevent a demonstration against the UN, characterizing it as an “extremely callous and illegal method of enforcing a ban.”
HRW revealed that it had verified the authenticity of two videos that showed soldiers placing bodies onto the back of a truck.
The government has announced that it has initiated an investigation into the incident.