A new monitoring report published on 22 June by the organization Alerte Congolaise pour l’Environnement et les Droits de l’Homme (ACEDH) sounds the alarm over the deteriorating situation facing environmental, climate and land rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This report, covering the period from August 2025 to March 2026, documents 31 cases of serious violations committed both in areas under government control and in territories affected by the presence of local and foreign armed groups.
According to ACEDH, these violations include, in particular, six cases of murder resulting in the deaths of twelve defenders, sixteen cases of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP), two abductions, three cases of death threats and arbitrary arrests, three instances of damage to property located in protected areas, and one case of a violation of property rights targeting a land rights defender.
“The report highlights the factors underlying violations of the rights and freedoms of environmental and land rights defenders, the alleged actors involved, as well as the dynamics of protection, resilience and local initiatives aimed at defending the rights of communities affected by the exploitation of natural resources,” states ACEDH in a press release published on Monday 22 June.
The document emphasizes that ongoing armed conflicts, the advance of the Congo River Alliance/M23, the illegal exploitation of natural resources and the weakness of protection mechanisms are all contributing to the increased vulnerability of defenders.
“From threats to physical attacks, including assassinations, SLAPP suits and restrictions on the freedoms of assembly, demonstration and peaceful gathering, environmental and land rights defenders continue to pay a heavy price,” the report notes.
The organization identifies several aggravating factors, including the use of the judicial system as a tool of repression, the resurgence of targeted killings of community leaders, the restriction of civic space, the rise in land disputes, and the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of these violations.
With regard to strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), Haut-Uélé province tops the list with six documented cases, mainly linked to mining activities. It is followed by Tshopo with five cases associated with mining and forestry. North Kivu, meanwhile, has recorded one case.
The report cites the M23 rebels, certain Mai-Mai groups, the security services, local administrative authorities and networks linked to mining and forestry as among the main alleged perpetrators of the violations. Impunity, influence peddling and corruption are also highlighted as factors contributing to the recurrence of these abuses.
ACEDH calls on the Congolese authorities to bring legal proceedings against those allegedly responsible for the assassinations, murders and enforced disappearances of environmental defenders. The organization also recommends the establishment of appropriate protection mechanisms in areas where mining, logging and oil extraction take place.
“The protection of environmental defenders is an essential prerequisite for the preservation of biodiversity, climate justice and sustainable development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the report concludes.
Written by Victoire Katembo Mbuto
Caption: Wild animals in Virunga National Park. Photo by Victoire Katembo Mbuto