More EU sanctions after Congolese election debacle, rights violations

BRUSSELS: The EU imposed sanctions on nine more Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) nationalsover “obstruction of the electoral process and related human rights violations” in the central African state, where President Joseph Kabila has overstayed his mandate.

The nine include the DRC’s current and former interior ministers, the government spokesperson and officers of the security forces. They join another seven people already on the EU blacklist, which subjects them to asset freezes and travel bans.

One of those targeted, government spokesperson Lambert Mende said: “This will not be without consequences. There will be a reaction.”

The DRC government has repeatedly denounced earlier sanctions imposed by the EU and US as unjustified and illegal, and has threatened diplomatic retaliation.

Political tension in the DRC is running high after security forces killed dozens of people during protests over election delays last year.

Kabila, in power since 2001, refused to step down and hold a national vote after his mandate expired in December. He has blamed election delays on budgetary constraints and the challenge of registering millions of voters.

The president struck a deal with the opposition last year to hold elections by the end of the year, but talks to implement the agreement broke down in March.

Among the new listings were Évariste Boshab, a close ally of Kabila as his former interior and security minister, and Emmanuel Ramazani Shadari, who holds the job currently and oversees the police.

Also blacklisted were Mende; Kalev Mutondo, the head of intelligence; and General Eric Ruhorimbere, a commander in the central Kasai region. – Reuters