Armed conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has deepened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with North Kivu and Ituri provinces under siege since May 2021. Despite multiple peace agreements—including the June 27, 2025 Washington pact ratified by Rwandan and DRC leaders on November 4, 2025, and the November 15, 2025 Doha framework between the DRC and AFC/M23—violence persists. Recent fighting has now spread to Uvira, exposing the fragility of ceasefire mechanisms. According to verified reports, over 10,000 lives have been lost in under a year, millions displaced internally and abroad, and a catastrophic humanitarian emergency unfolded.
In this volatile environment, security forces alongside armed factions—particularly the M23/AFC backed by Rwanda—have been repeatedly linked to severe human rights violations. Torture and cruel treatment, as defined under Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, remain widespread tactics. The erosion of civic space is equally alarming: public protests are banned, press freedom is restricted, and civil society organizations face relentless pressure. Human rights defenders, journalists, political opponents, and activists have been forced into exile after arrests, torture, and threats, stripping the nation of critical voices capable of exposing abuses and seeking justice for victims.
This joint submission, prepared by the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) in partnership with local members of the SOS-Torture Network in the DRC—Alliance for the Universality of Fundamental Rights (AUDF), Afia Mama, SOS Multidimensional Legal Information (SOS IJM), and Voice of the Voiceless for Human Rights (VSV)—will be presented ahead of the DRC’s upcoming periodic review under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
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