URGENT ACTION

FOUR human rights defenders threatened

Four human rights defenders in the city of Lubumbashi, Katanga province, south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have received anonymous text messages threatening them with death. The threats are continuing.

Three men: Grégoire Mulamba, Timothée Mbuya, and Emmanuel Umpula, and one woman, Dominique Munongo, all human rights defenders, have been receiving the threats since 16 September. The defenders have led a local campaign in defence of Golden Misabiko, who is being prosecuted before the Lubumbashi Magistrates Court on charges of threatening state security (see UA 208/09, AFR 62/013/2009, and follow-up).

Among messages received by the four defenders are: “You think you are clever. Understand that it is not over. We shall see when you are all dead…whether you can still organize protest marches” (Vous pensez être plus malin. Saches que ce ne pas fini. On verra quand vous serez tous mort … si vous ferrez encore des marches); and, “After your declarations [on local radio and television] we give you 48 hours to get out of Lubumbashi… or to say goodbye to your families”(Après vos déclarations, nous vous accordons 48 heures soit pour quitter Lubumbashi… soit pour dire au revoir à vos familles)

The latest, received on 21 September, said: “We are serious... We know all your movements and home addresses… It’s a question of hours.” (Nous sommes et nous restons sérieux à nos decisions… Nous avons tous vos mouvements et vos habitations. …. C’est un problème des heures...)

The threats are being made from three mobile telephone numbers whose details the defenders have submitted to the Lubumbashi Prosecutor, as part of a legal complaint asking that the threats be fully investigated.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in FRENCH or your own language:

• Calling on the authorities to investigate the death threats against Lubumbashi human rights defenders Grégoire Mulamba, Timothée Mbuya, Dominique Munongo and Emmanuel Umpula, and to bring those responsible to justice;

• Calling on the authorities to ensure that the defenders are protected against further threats and possible attack;

• Demanding an end to acts of intimidation and arbitrary arrests of human rights defenders by the DRC’s security services.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 3 NOVEMBER 2009 TO: