The Democratic Republic of Congo is witnessing a sharp escalation in the repression of critical expression in DR Congo, as government authorities intensify a campaign of harassment and arbitrary detention against journalists, human rights activists, and political opposition figures. According to a new report from Human Rights Watch, this clampdown is coinciding with a period of extreme political volatility and an ongoing military crisis in the nation’s eastern provinces.
The surge in state-led repression appears closely linked to efforts by President Félix Tshisekedi to potentially alter the country’s constitutional framework. During a nationally televised news conference on May 6, 2026, Tshisekedi discussed potential revisions to the constitution, sparking widespread concern that the administration may seek to dismantle presidential term limits to extend his time in office.
This political maneuvering has created a climate of fear. Philippe Bolopion, the executive director of Human Rights Watch, warned that the current trajectory is an urgent warning sign. “Congolese citizens have the right to express their opinions and concerns without fear of repression, but doing so is becoming increasingly difficult,” Bolopion stated, urging the government to end restrictions on free speech and peaceful assembly.
The Constitutional Push and the Price of Dissent
The prospect of constitutional amendments has become a flashpoint for conflict between the state and the opposition. On March 24, 2026, police in the capital city of Kinshasa deployed tear gas and used violence to disperse peaceful protesters demonstrating against the proposed changes. These protests were supported by the Commitment for Citizenship and Development Party (Engagement pour la Citoyenneté et le Développement, or ECiDé).
During the March 24 incident, representatives from ECiDé reported that police arrested 15 opposition members and protesters. While five were released from the Matete district police station, the remaining 10 were transferred to the prosecutor’s office before being released the following evening. The crackdown extends beyond the streets; two journalists reported being forced into hiding after intelligence agents targeted their homes following critical statements regarding the potential extension of presidential term limits.
The state’s approach to dissent has been characterized by the use of specialized security apparatuses. The National Cyber Defense Council (Conseil national de cyberdéfense, or CNC), alongside the Congolese National Police and the president’s Republican Guard, has been implicated in a series of arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances. Human Rights Watch documented 17 cases of enforced disappearances of political figures and activists, many of whom were later discovered in CNC custody. Of these 17 individuals, 8 remain in detention as of May 2026.
Among those still held are high-profile figures from the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). Emmanuel Shadary, the party’s permanent secretary, has been in CNC custody since December 16, 2025, and Aubin Minaku, a former president of the National Assembly, was detained on January 18, 2026. The Kinshasa/Ngaliema Peace Tribunal convicted PPRD member Parole Kamizelo on March 9, 2026, on charges of insulting the head of state—a conviction his legal team describes as politically motivated.
Weaponizing the Eastern Conflict
The government has increasingly used the security crisis in eastern Congo as a justification for silencing critics. The region is currently embroiled in an armed conflict involving the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group, which captured major cities in 2025. Authorities have begun targeting individuals by claiming they are in collusion with the M23 or other opposition armed groups to justify their detention.
In one instance, on January 9, 2026, agents from the National Intelligence Agency (Agence nationale de renseignements, or ANR) arrested Jordan Saidi Atibu. Atibu served as the coordinator for the Kisangani branch of the Observatory of Parliamentary and Government Action. Reports indicate that Atibu was held for 40 days in a cell without access to light before his eventual release.
Similarly, on March 3, 2026, journalist Serge Sindani, the director of Kis24.info, was arrested by intelligence agents. Sindani was questioned regarding alleged ties to the M23 and the Alliance Fleuve Congo, a political-military coalition. He was detained for 10 days without being formally charged.
Civil Society and the Struggle for Basic Services
Repression is not limited to high-level political figures; it has extended to grassroots movements protesting the failure of public services. The citizens’ movement Struggle for Change (Lutte pour le Changement, or Lucha) has faced repeated harassment for organizing protests over essential needs like water and security.
On May 9, 2026, a military court convicted three Lucha members of threatening state security, sentencing them to two months in prison. The convictions stemmed from a peaceful protest in Bunia, Ituri province, in March, where activists demanded safe drinking water. The three were released for time served. Other Lucha activists were detained on January 20, 2026, in Kalemie, Tanganyika province, following a demonstration against growing insecurity.
Further evidence of the crackdown on basic rights occurred in Matadi, Kongo Central province, where authorities detained 10 demonstrators for several hours on March 23, 2026, after they protested for access to electricity.
The Erosion of Legal Protections
The Democratic Republic of Congo is a signatory to several international agreements that protect fundamental liberties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Both documents strictly prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention while safeguarding the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
The current pattern of behavior by the CNC and ANR suggests a systemic disregard for these mandates. The targeting of opposition headquarters also highlights a shift toward overt intimidation. On the night of February 21, 2026, the headquarters of the Together for the Republic party in Kimbanseke were vandalized by youth identifying as supporters of the ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress (Union Pour la Démocratie et le Progrès Social). Human Rights Watch verified video footage of the attack, showing supporters of the government party removing opposition banners.
As the political environment continues to heat up, the international community is watching closely. The combination of constitutional instability and the weaponization of national security laws creates a precarious situation for the survival of democratic norms in Central Africa’s largest nation.
The next critical checkpoint for observers will be the progress of the appeal filed by Parole Kamizelo’s legal team and any further official announcements regarding the proposed constitutional revisions from the presidency.
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