Republic of Congo

Overview

President Denis Sassou Nguesso has maintained nearly uninterrupted power for over 40 years by suppressing his opponents. In March 2021, he won a fourth presidential term since returning to power in 199 with 88.4 percent of the vote in a contest marred by a boycott from an opposition group, voter intimidation, and an internet shutdown. The integrity of the electoral process was challenged the opposition and other organizations.

Because of reduced oil revenue, public debt amounting to $10 billion (US) and the Covid-19 pandemic economic and social conditions continued to deteriorate throughout the country. There were ongoing court cases about charges of corruption involving people close to the president. Corruption and decades of political instability have contributed to the poor economy and high levels of poverty.

Abuses by security forces are frequently reported but rarely investigated. Although a variety of media operate, self-censorship is widespread. Human rights and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) analyze state abuses, but self-censor to avoid reprisals. Religious figures are also known to self-censor.

Women remained under-represented in policymaking bodies. Accessibility, availability and quality of healthcare and facilities were inadequate due to lack of resources and government efforts.  Environmental damage was caused by mining activities.

In November 2021, the state of emergency was extended for the 27th time since March 2020, imposing restrictive measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Arbitrary detention

Civil society activists who were critical of the electoral process or who denounced human rights violations faced judicial harassment. Alexandre Ibacka Dzabana, coordinator of the Congolese Platform of Human Rights and Democracy NGOs, and Chryst Dongui, vice-president of the association Ras le Bol, were both arrested outside their houses by unidentified men on March 11 and March 25, 2021. The day before his arrest, Chryst Dongui had attended a press conference to denounce alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Alexandre Ibacka Dzabana had helped to organize a demonstration to call for an inclusive national dialogue between the government, opposition parties and civil society organizations, and the release of political prisoners. The demonstration was banned by the authorities. The men, both human rights activists, were not brought before a prosecutor until April 9, 2021 in violation of Dongyi Congolese law, and charged with breach of the state security. Both were then sent to Brazzaville central prison where they were held until their release on July 13, 2021, pending trial. During his detention the health of Alexandre Ibacka Dzabana, aged 77, seriously deteriorated but he was denied access to a doctor.

Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko, former candidate for the 2016 presidential election, returned to prison in October after having spent a year in the military hospital of Brazzaville. He was sentenced in 2018 to 20 years in prison for “breach of State security” and “illegal possession of weapons and ammunition of war”. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention considered his detention as arbitrary.

Freedom of expression and movement

Those critical of the government continued to be repressed, and the right to freedom of expression, violated. Human rights defenders and civil society activists were arbitrarily detained.

Raymond Malonga, director of the satirical newspaper Sel-Piment, was arrested on February 2, 2021 while hospitalized on defamation charges for publishing an article which reported that someone close to President Sassou Nguesso had been accused of corruption. On May 3, 2021, after three months in detention, he was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of $46,000 for “defaming a member of the presidential family”. He was released in August, 2021.

On December 11, 2021, Paulin Makaya, a political opponent who needed to receive medical treatment abroad, was prevented from leaving the country and his passport was confiscated with no explanation by government authorities.  He was finally allowed to leave the country on December 11, 2021.

Women’s Rights

Women remained under-represented in policymaking bodies, in violation of Article 17 of the 2015 Constitution, which “guarantees parity and ensures the promotion as well as the representativeness of women in all political, elective and administrative functions”. On International Women’s Day, March 8, 2021, the Ministry of Health, Population, Promotion of Women, and Integration of Women in Development regretted that women represented only 33% of the members of the Constitutional Court, 20% of elected officials in the senate and 11% in the national assembly.

Right to health

Accessibility, availability, and quality of healthcare and facilities were not guaranteed due to lack of government funding and support. The health budget was reduced to $292 million from the 2020 figure of $328 million. Shortages of water and electricity and the lack of proper facilities and equipment were among the problems facing hospitals.

Health personnel continued to report a lack of PPE against Covid-19, which has been reported since the beginning of the pandemic. As of December 31, 2021, only 560,880 people of the country’s estimated 5.5 million population has been completely vaccinated.

Environmental degradation

River pollution and deforestation were reported due to 10 years of gold mining in the Sanga region. According to the Rainforest Journalism Fund, the companies responsible failed to respect environmental laws, and the authorities failed to act to bring them to account.