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STORY: OHCHR / DRC DEATHS
TRT: 01:48
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 1 SEPTEMBER 2023, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
1 SEPTEMBER 2023, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We are extremely alarmed that at least 43 people were killed, including a policeman, and 56 injured during demonstrations on Wednesday in Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. We have received information indicating that the death toll may be higher.”
3. Wide shot, briefing room
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The demonstrations were organized against the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), the Regional Force of the East African Community, other UN agencies and international non-governmental organizations.”
5. Wide shot, briefing room
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We are concerned that the risk of human rights violations in such a charged context is high. It is crucial that the rights of those arrested are fully respected, including their due process rights, and for relevant authorities to ensure continued access to detained individuals by the UN Joint Human Rights Office.”
7. Wide shot, briefing room
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR):
“People have a right to express themselves freely and to assemble peacefully, even if in protest at the United Nations and other actors. Authorities must facilitate the right to peaceful assembly.”
9. Wide shot, briefing room
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk calls on the authorities to ensure that future law enforcement actions in the context of the policing of public assemblies fully adhere to international human rights norms and standards. We stand ready to continue our work with national authorities in this regard.”
11. Wide shot, briefing room
“We are extremely alarmed that at least 43 people were killed, including a policeman, and 56 injured during demonstrations on Wednesday in Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. We have received information indicating that the death toll may be higher,” Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR), said today (1 Sep) in Geneva.
“The demonstrations were organized against the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), the Regional Force of the East African Community, other UN agencies, and international non-governmental organizations,” she said.
She noted the Government’s announcement that an investigation had been opened into this incident and called for it to be thorough, effective, and impartial.
Stating that such an investigation must also comprehensively examine the use of force by the security forces.
Those responsible for violations must be held accountable, regardless of their affiliation.
At least 222 people were reportedly arrested, including women and children.
“We are concerned that the risk of human rights violations in such a charged context is high. It is crucial that the rights of those arrested are fully respected, including their due process rights, and for relevant authorities to ensure continued access to detained individuals by the UN Joint Human Rights Office,” the spokesperson said.
“People have a right to express themselves freely and to assemble peacefully, even if in protest at the United Nations and other actors. Authorities must facilitate the right to peaceful assembly,” she said.
“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk calls on the authorities to ensure that future law enforcement actions in the context of the policing of public assemblies fully adhere to international human rights norms and standards. We stand ready to continue our work with national authorities in this regard,” Shamdasani said.
