This archive report was first published on 22 September 2019.
Published on September 22, 2019, by AFP.
Thirty-six activists from DR Congo's pro-democracy Lucha movement have been arrested for staging a protest against the country's branch of Indian telecoms operator Airtel.
The activists, who were calling for better services at lower prices, were arrested in the eastern city of Goma for making 'defamatory statements' against the Congolese arm of Airtel.
According to Lucha spokesman Steward Muhindo, the activists were also demanding that Airtel use the GPS function on its phones to help locate kidnapped people, a common problem in Goma.
Abduction is a scourge in Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province, which is riven by conflict between armed groups.
After the arrests, 13 of the activists were transferred to the city's central prison while the other 23 were sent to the prosecutor's office.
A group of 36 Congolese human rights organisations condemned the arrests, saying it was 'deplorable' that the young people who reminded Airtel of its obligations were physically attacked, arrested, and tortured.
President Felix Tshisekedi has touted an improvement in the country's human rights since he took office in January, but the arrests have raised questions about the government's commitment to protecting human rights.
