Kinshasa — A letter of indignation received by our newsroom reveals a new scandal in the Province of Haut-Uélé: the arrest and allegedly illegal detention of two environmental defenders, Tabani Baba Moïse and Balingba Patsi Jean Pierre. According to the civil society coalition dedicated to environmental protection and social safeguarding, this case is part of a growing wave of repression targeting climate activists, particularly in gold-mining areas dominated by Kibali Gold Mine and several Chinese operators.
According to the document, the two activists were arrested on October 20, 2025, in the village of Binva, as they were returning from the Zaire mining zone. Civil society reports a violent arrest carried out by soldiers under the command of Colonel Nyembo. The soldiers accuse them—without evidence—of participating in protests against mining activities and of setting fire to two vehicles belonging to mining operators.
The organization stresses that these accusations are “baseless” and are aimed solely at criminalizing citizens committed to defending land rights and environmental protection.
After the heavy-handed arrest, Tabani and Balingba were detained in Faraje before being transferred to the Watsa Prosecutor’s Office, and later placed in the central prison. Their motorcycle, confiscated during the arrest, has still not been recovered.
But what civil society finds most alarming is the outright disregard for judicial procedure. Article 28, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Procedure Code requires that a suspect be brought before a judge within five days following a provisional arrest warrant.
In this case, the two activists spent over a month in detention without any legality review, despite a request for provisional release filed on November 18, 2025, which remains unanswered.
Civil society describes a well-established pattern of repression: intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and pressure from police and military forces… all seemingly used to silence those who defend local communities against brutal land evictions.
According to the letter, abuses attributed to mining companies—particularly Kibali Gold Mine—can no longer be denounced without risk. Every dissenting voice becomes a target.
Yet, civil society reminds authorities that Article 53 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right and duty to protect the environment. “These two defenders have committed no offense,” it insists.
The letter denounces a blatant violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Articles 22 and 24), and Article 17 of the Congolese Constitution, which enshrines individual liberty as a fundamental principle.
According to the signatory organizations, the prolonged detention of Tabani and Balingba directly engages the responsibility of the Congolese State and exposes a deep contradiction between official discourse on the energy transition and the reality experienced by frontline environmental defenders.
Civil society issues several recommendations to the authorities.
To the Governor of Haut-Uélé and the Attorney General:
– ensure the immediate release of the two defenders;
– return their unlawfully seized motorcycle;
– put an end to intimidation tactics against environmental activists.
To the Ministers of Justice, Interior, and Human Rights:
– align security and judicial practices with international standards;
– protect climate activists from acts of intimidation;
– prosecute ANR agents, soldiers, or judicial police officers who violate defenders’ rights in favor of mining companies.
At a time when the DRC is multiplying international commitments on conservation, this case becomes a revealing test: how can the country claim to protect the environment while imprisoning those who truly defend it?
The fate of Tabani Baba Moïse and Balingba Patsi Jean Pierre may well become a major test of the Congolese State’s commitment to human rights, transparency, and environmental justice.
By Kilalopress