DR Congo: Increasing Repression of Critical Expression

Click to expand Image Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi speaks during a press conference in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 6, 2026. © 2026 Democratic Republic of Congo Presidency/Handout via REUTERS (Kinshasa) – The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are increasingly harassing and arbitrarily detaining journalists, activists, and political opposition members, Human Rights Watch said today. The clampdown on critical voices has occurred amid the Rwandan-backed M23 arme