25/89-47/90-56/91-100/93 : Free Legal Assistance Group, Lawyers'
Committee for Human Rights, Union Interafricaine des Droits de
l'Homme, Les Témoins de Jehovah / DRC
25/89, 47/90, 56/91, 100/93 (Joined), Free Legal Assistance Group, Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights,
1
Union interafricaine des droits de l’Homme, Les témoins de jehovah/Zaire
Summary of Facts
1. Communication 25/89 is filed by the Free Legal Assistance Group, the Austrian Committee against
Torture, and the Centre haitien des droits et libertés, all members of the World Organization against
th
Torture (OMCT). The submission of the Free Legal Assistance Group was dated 17 March 1989, that
th
of the Austrian Committee against Torture dated 29 March 1989, that of the Centre Haitien dated
th
20 April 1989. The communication alleges the torture of 15 persons by a Military Unit, on or about
th
th
19 January 1989, at Kinsuka near the Zaire River. On 19 April 1989 when several people protested
their treatment, they were detained and held indefinitely.
th
2. Communication 47/90, dated 16 October 1990 is filed by the Lawyers’ Committee for Human
Rights in New York. It alleges arbitrary arrests, arbitrary detentions, torture, extra-judicial executions,
unfair trials, severe restrictions placed on the right to association and peaceful assembly, and
suppression of the freedom of the Press.
th
3. Communication 56/91 is submitted by the Jehovah’s Witnesses of Zaire and dated 27 March
1991. It alleges the persecution of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, including arbitrary arrests, appropriation
of church property, and exclusion from access to education.
4. Communication 100/93 is submitted by the Union interafricaine des droits de l’Homme and dated
th
20 March 1993. It makes allegations of torture, executions, arrests, detention, unfair trials, restrictions
on freedom of association and freedom of the press. It also alleges that public finances were
mismanaged; that the failure of the Government to provide basic services was degrading; that there
was a shortage of medicines; that the universities and secondary schools had been closed for two
years; that freedom of movement was violated; and that ethnic hatred was incited by the official media.
5. The African Commission, when it determined that the communications, taken together, evidenced
a grave and massive violation of human rights in Zaire, brought the matter to the attention of the
Assembly of the Heads of State of the Organisation of African Unity, in December 1995.
6. The Commission also requested that a mission consisting of two members of the Commission be
received in that country, with the objective of discovering the extent and cause of human rights
violations and endeavouring to help the government to ensure full respect for the African Charter. The
government of Zaire has never responded to these requests for a mission.
Procedure
7. The Commission in June 1989 received communication 25/89. The Commission was seized of the
th
th
communication at its 11 Session in October 1989 and the State of Zaire was notified on 14 March
1990.
8. Between 1990 and 1993, numerous reminders were sent by the Secretariat to the Government of
Zaire, but no response was received.
9. The Secretariat also sent the Complainants regular updates on the status of the communications.
rd
10. On 23 September 1993, the Ministry of Justice of Zaire wrote that no copy of the communication
had ever been received.
rd
11. A copy was sent on 3 March 1994 by registered post to the Embassy of Zaire in Dakar but no
response was forthcoming.
th
12. At the 16 Session, held in April 1994, the Commission decided to send a mission to Zaire in
order to create a dialogue.