THE HAGUE – A group of lawyers from civil society organisations in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Katanga region has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing President Félix Tshisekedi and other state officials of crimes against humanity and serious human rights violations.
The complaint, submitted on Friday to prosecutors at the ICC headquarters in The Hague, alleges that the Congolese authorities were responsible for massacres and other abuses in several localities across Katanga, including Lwilu, Lubuka, Malemba Nkulu and Kilobelobe.
Speaking outside the ICC, one of the lawyers said the team had decided to bring what they described as “serious facts” before the Court.
“We have found that we must communicate the serious facts we have observed, including massacres in Lwilu, Lubuka, Malemba Nkulu, Kilobelobe and several other areas of the Katanga region,” the lawyer said.
The complainants allege that President Tshisekedi’s administration has implemented what they describe as “a policy of terror” involving killings and widespread human rights abuses against political opponents.
According to the lawyers, the alleged violations include kidnappings, prolonged arbitrary detention without access to lawyers or family members, torture and enforced disappearances.
They specifically cited the case of Pastor Mulunda, whom they allege was abducted in Zambia despite holding refugee status there, adding that his whereabouts remain unknown.
The complaint also links the alleged abuses to political control and the exploitation of mineral resources. The lawyers accuse the government of supporting militias, including groups allegedly affiliated with the ruling party, and recruiting members along ethnic lines.
They further allege that hate speech targeting government critics has contributed to violence and warned that the situation could deteriorate further if no action is taken.
The lawyers said they had submitted the complaint to alert the ICC to what they described as an escalating pattern of abuses and to urge the Court to take preventive action.
There was no immediate response from the Congolese presidency regarding the allegations. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court had also not publicly commented on the complaint at the time of publication.
The ICC has not announced whether it will open an investigation into the allegations. Filing a complaint with the Court does not automatically result in the opening of a formal investigation, which is subject to assessment by the Prosecutor under the Court’s procedures.
