Congolese Security Forces Implicated in Enforced Disappearances via Cyber Council
KINSHASA — Congolese security forces have carried out numerous enforced disappearances in and around the capital since March 2025, with the National Cyber Defense Council (CNC) emerging as a central entity in the arbitrary arrest and secret detention of political opponents and civilians, Human Rights Watch said in a report.
The 17 documented cases of enforced disappearance involve individuals taken into custody by the CNC, often alongside the Republican Guard and national police. Detainees were frequently arrested at night, blindfolded, and held without warrants, access to lawyers, or judicial oversight. Interrogations focused not on cybercrimes but on accusations of collusion with the M23 armed group, ties to former President Joseph Kabila, or opposition political activities.
The CNC, established by presidential ordinance in 2023 to combat cybercrime, has expanded its operations far beyond its mandate. Former detainees described being held first at sites like the Stade des Martyrs or the ONATRA building before being moved to other undisclosed locations, including private rooms. One former detainee quoted an interrogator saying, “there is no law in these rooms.”
While CNC head Jean-Claude Bukasa stated in writing that the council “does not have the power to arrest or detain,” Human Rights Watch documented its direct involvement in detentions. The council’s actions violate Congo’s Code of Criminal Procedure and international human rights law, including the right to prompt judicial review and legal counsel.
In a notable incident in early September 2025, at least 12 opposition members of parliament were arrested at a Kinshasa hotel, blindfolded, and taken to the CNC’s ONATRA office before their release the next day. Their parliamentary immunity was dismissed during interrogation.
Most families were unable to locate detained relatives for days, learning of CNC custody through informal channels. Eight individuals have been released, often after signing agreements not to criticize the government. Five were transferred to the military or civilian justice system on state security charges, while three remain in CNC detention.
The abuses occur amid heightened conflict in eastern Congo between government forces and the M23, which is backed by Rwanda. The government accuses Kabila of supporting the M23, a charge used to justify targeting perceived opponents.
Human Rights Watch called on authorities to immediately disclose the whereabouts of all detainees, release those held unlawfully, and investigate the CNC’s operations. “The authorities need to release all those wrongfully held, investigate the CNC’s operations, and put an end to its enforced disappearances,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
The report underscores a pattern of using security institutions to suppress dissent under the guise of national security, raising serious concerns about the rule of law and due process in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
