HRW Documents Missing Opposition Members in CNC Detention Centers

Kinshasa, March 11, 2026 - Human Rights Watch has documented 17 cases of disappeared individuals, mostly opposition figures, reportedly detained on questionable grounds or accused of supporting the AFC/M23 rebel group. The organization is calling on Kinshasa authorities to account for the missing or, preferably, bring them before a judge.

According to HRW, the National Cyber Defense Council (CNC)-a body attached to the Presidency of the Republic-has been used since March 2025 to arrest and detain political opponents arbitrarily through Congolese security forces.

“Over the past year, Congolese security forces have secretly arrested and detained people on trumped-up charges in the heart of the capital,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at HRW. “In most cases, the arrests appear to be politically motivated or involve individuals suspected of supporting armed groups in eastern DRC.”

HRW reached its conclusions after contacting 34 individuals, including nine former CNC detainees and 11 relatives. Accounts describe arrests conducted by uniformed Republican Guard and National Police officers, as well as plainclothes personnel, often at night. Several detainees reported being blindfolded during transport to or between CNC detention centers, without being shown any arrest warrants.

Detentions reportedly began at facilities within the Stade des Martyrs or CNC offices at the National Transport Office (ONATRA) in Kinshasa, before transferring detainees to other secret locations, including private rooms or hotels. Interrogations focused on alleged collusion with AFC/M23 rebels, rather than cyber-related offenses.

HRW also accuses the CNC of expanding its powers through arrests, interrogations, and secret detentions without judicial oversight.

Between December 2025 and January 2026, opposition members, including loyalists of former President Joseph Kabila, were arrested at night in their homes. Many went missing, while others were later found in CNC facilities before transfer to judicial authorities. Some high-profile figures, such as Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and Aubin Minaku, both former leaders of the ruling PPRD party, were reportedly held in secret.

This report underscores growing concerns over political repression, arbitrary detention, and the lack of judicial oversight in Kinshasa, raising alarms about the treatment of opposition members amid the ongoing eastern DRC conflict.