Following the recent murder of yet another human rights activist in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, Markus Löning, today (12 July) issued the following statement:

“People the world over were outraged by the horrific murder of prominent Congolese human rights defender Floribert Chebeya. A few days ago, another activist, Salvator Muhindo, was also murdered. Human rights defenders in the Congo work in a climate of fear.

I therefore call upon the Congolese Government to do everything in its power to protect human rights defenders, to carry out a thorough investigation of the murders and to bring those responsible to justice.”

The Federal Government with its EU partners is observing the investigations very closely and will continue to do what it can to ensure that the violent crimes are thoroughly probed and the perpetrators brought to account.