Human rights defenders, Mr Gregory Mulamba, Mr Timothée Mbuya and Mr Emmanuel Umpula received death threats on 16 and 17 September 2009, which also targeted Ms Dominique Munongo.

Further Information

Gregory Mulamba is the executive secretary of Centre des Droits de l’Homme et du Droit Humanitaire - CDH (Centre for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law); Timothée Mbuya is the vice-president of Association Africaine de Défense des Droits de l’Homme – ASADHO/Katanga (African Association for the Defence of Human Rights); Emmanuel Umpula is the executive director of Action Contre l'Impunité pour les Droits Humains – ACIDH (Action against Impunity for Human Rights) and Dominique Munongo is the coordinator of Centre de Développement pour la Femme – CDF (Development Centre for Women).

Front Line believes that death threats are directly related to the work of the aforementioned defenders in support of the release of Mr Golden Misabiko, president of ASADHO/Katanga, on whom Front Line issued an urgent appeal on 27 July 2009.

On 17 September 2009 at 8:00 am, a text message was sent simultaneously to Gregory Mulamba, Timothée Mbuya and Emmanuel Umpula from the same phone number 00243 9932 44110, which said “Dites à votre amie Munongo, même si elle a du sang royal, on va aussi l’attaquer” (Tell your friend Munongo that even if she is of royal blood, she will also be attacked). Dominique Munongo is a member of the Yeke royal family of Katanga.

On 16 September 2009, at approximately 9.00 pm, Timothée Mbuya and Emmanuel Umpula received the same message from telephone number 00243 993244757 which read, “Ton Chef, on l’a déjà déclassé et il reste toi et trois autres” (Your boss has already been downgraded and there is you and three others left).

A second message which followed said, “Vous pensez être plus malins. Sache que ce ne pas fini. On verra quand vous serez tous morts comme certains journalistes si vous faites encore des marches” (You think you're smarter. Know that this is not finished. We'll see when you are all dead like certain journalists if you protest again).

On the same day, Gregory Mulamba received two text messages from this same number. The first read, “On connait où tu habites à Kampemba. Tu es le deuxième sur notre liste”( We know where you live in Kampemba. You're the second on our list). The second message went on to say, “Nous allons nous occuper de toi-même si tu as des petits appuis" (We'll take care of you even if you do have a little support).

Front Line is deeply concerned that these threatening messages are directly related to the work of Gregory Mulamba, Timothée Mbuya, Emmanuel Umpula and Dominique Munongo in support of human rights defender, Mr Golden Misabiko. Front Line is deeply concerned about the physical and psychological integrity of the aforementioned defenders.