20 Mar 2012

GENEVA / DRC HUMAN RIGHTS

A UN report released today details serious human rights violations, including killings, disappearances and arbitrary detention committed in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo by Congolese and security forces before and after presidential elections at the end of last year. CH UNTV

Posted at: March 20, 2012 11:22 am

Duration: 02:20

Available in: SD

DOWNLOAD

Full script

STORY: GENEVA / DRC HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 2.20
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 20 MARCH 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:

FILE – 2011, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior Palais des Nations

20 MARCH 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
 
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Campbell, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in DRC: 
"The point of this report is to denounce very serious human rights violations that took place just before and after election day, to make sure that authorities take all necessary measures to hold those who've committed abuses to account and therefore to dissuade and hopefully prevent future violations."
4. Cutaway, monitor
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Campbell, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in DRC: 
"What's important is that the government has indicated that it's interested in doing an investigation, it's opened an initial investigation into these events, and what will be important is that this is a credible and impartial investigation."
6. Cutaway, photographer
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Scott Campbell, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in DRC: 
"We can confirm that at least 33 people were killed during this 30-day period, from the 26th November to the 25th December, in the capital Kinshasa. The majority of them, 22, were killed by gunshot. There were 83 others that were also wounded, the majority of them were also wounded by gunshot. And there are at least 16 people that remain missing. We fear, we're convinced, that the actual numbers are quite higher but this is a very conservative figure that we're including in our report."
8. Cutaway, journalist
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): 
"We have been receiving worrying reports of the disproportionate use of force by 
Bahraini security forces, including the excessive use of teargas, the use of birdshot pellets and rubber bullets. The use of tear gas in particular has reportedly resulted in a number of deaths of protestors and bystanders - and that number has reportedly risen in the last two or three months."
10. Cutaway, journalist writing
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Rupert Colville, Spokesperson, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
"We call on the Government of Bahrain to investigate the alleged use of such excessive force. Bahrain has recently issued a new code of conduct requiring the police force to adhere fully to human rights principles. We welcome this new code and hope that its implementation will be carefully monitored and adhered to."
12. Pan right, journalists

STORYLINE:

A United Nations report, released today (20 Mar) details serious human rights violations, including killings, disappearances and arbitrary detention, committed in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by Congolese and security forces before and after presidential elections at the end of last year.

The report is based on investigations carried out the by UN Joint Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in the DRC and states that at least 33 people were killed in Kinshasa by security forces between 26th November and 25th December 2011.

Scott Campbell, from the office for the high commissioner on human rights (OHCHR) said that the DRC government had indicated its interest in doing an investigation, and that "what will be important is that this is a credible and impartial investigation."

More than 265 people were arrested and the majority of them were arbitrarily detained in detention centres in Kinshasa. 16 people remain missing.

Campbell confirmed that at least 33 people were killed from the 26th November to the 25th December, in the capital Kinshasa, adding that "we fear, we're convinced, that the actual numbers are quite higher but this is a very conservative figure that we're including in our report".

The report called for authorities to ensure that grave violations of human rights are investigated, perpetrators brought to justice and that those who remain illegally detained are released without delay.

A judicial investigation was opened in December last year.

Meanwhile the OHCHR also expressed its concern over reports of the disproportionate use of force by Bahraini security forces, including the excessive use of teargas, birdshot pellets and rubber bullets.

The OHCHR says that the number of people reported to have been killed by tear gas had risen in the past few months. Security forces are said to have been firing metal tear gas canisters from grenade launchers into crowds, sometimes at close range.

The OHCHR is calling on the government of Bahrian to investigate the use of excessive force and to adhere to a new code of conduct which requires the police force to respect human rights.

There is also concern about the health of human rights defenders who are on hunger strike, in protest against their imprisonment for participating in last year's mass demonstrations in Bahrain.