A leading human rights group in the Republic of Congo has raised serious concerns about a dramatic increase in torture cases across the country.
The Centre d’Actions pour le Developpement (CAD) documented a staggering tenfold rise in torture incidents in the first four months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
The CAD report, released on Wednesday, reveals 122 documented cases of torture between January and April 2024.
This figure stands in stark contrast to the mere 13 cases documented during the same period in 2023.
The report does not include data for the remaining months of the previous year.
Tresor Nzila, the Executive Director of CAD, expressed deep worry over the findings. He urged the Congolese government to take immediate action to address this alarming trend.
“Combating torture must be a priority,” Nzila emphasized. He further demanded that authorities fulfill their responsibility by holding perpetrators accountable through legal prosecution.
Founded in 2021, CAD has established itself as a crucial voice by conducting and publishing annual surveys on the use of torture in the Republic of Congo.
The recent report’s presentation in the capital, Brazzaville, featured a harrowing testimony from a torture victim, Roberto Lissassi. The 27-year-old unemployed graduate recounted the ordeal he endured in 2023, an experience that left him permanently blind.
“The torture took away my sight, my ability to read and write,” Lissassi stated with anguish, “it stripped me of my dignity.”
It’s important to note that the Republic of Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Torture. This international treaty mandates the prohibition and prosecution of torture by all member states.
