FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted a resolution establishing an international team that will investigate mass atrocities occurring in the Kasai provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The violence in the Kasais, which has left more than 3,000 people dead and over one million displaced since last August, is the result of the DRC government’s failure to hold elections in accordance with the country’s constitution. It also claimed the lives of UN experts Michael Sharp and Zaida Catalan, who were investigating human rights violations in the Kasais.

“We are glad the Human Rights Council has finally taken action to investigate human rights abuses in the DRC,” said Ambassador Nikki Haley. “However, there is still much work to be done to bring justice to the victims of these brutal crimes. Investigators must be able to carry out their work without interference, and the Congolese government must fully cooperate with the investigation. If they fail to do so, the Council must be prepared to act.”

Last week, the United States called on the HRC to take decisive action and launch an independent investigation into the human rights violations and abuses in the DRC.

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