EU and the resettlement programme February, having ended the two-year coalition remained “frozen”. with his predecessor Joseph Kabila. In April, a new government was formed with a 1. Czech Republic: Concerns Over Possible Unlawful Killing by the Police parliamentary majority. (Index: EUR 71/4329/2021), 23 June Tensions emerged over the elections 2. “Czech Republic: Hard won justice for women survivors of unlawful planned for 2023, particularly in relation to the organization, functioning and leadership sterilization”, 22 July of the Independent National Electoral Commission. DEMOCRATIC In North Kivu and Ituri, a state of siege was declared in May allowing the army and police REPUBLIC OF THE to take over political leadership, public administration, and the criminal justice CONGO system in the two provinces. Rampant violence continued in the Kasaï region. South Kivu, Tanganyika and Maniema Democratic Republic of the Congo provinces also experienced continued and Head of state: Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo significant levels of violence. Head of government: Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde Kyenge (replaced Sylvestre Ilunga Ilunkamba in UNLAWFUL ATTACKS AND KILLINGS February) Indiscriminate attacks against civilian populations, looting and destruction of Continuing armed conflict and violence homes, crops, and other objects claimed thousands of lives, large-scale indispensable for the survival of the civilian displacement and widespread sexual population, as well as attacks on violence. At least 10 cases of crimes under infrastructure, continued particularly in the international law were prosecuted by east and south; some of these acts military courts, but impunity remained constituted war crimes. widespread. Economic, social, and In North Kivu and Ituri provinces, attacks humanitarian crises persisted, exacerbated and other violations and abuses against by Covid-19 and other outbreaks. The use civilians by armed groups and government of arbitrary arrests and unlawful detentions forces increased by 10% between May and was prevalent across the Democratic November according to the UN. According to Republic of the Congo (DRC). Prison the Kivu Security Tracker, at least 1,137 conditions remained inhumane. Rallies and civilians were unlawfully killed in the two protests organized by opposition parties or provinces between 6 May (when the state of civil society deemed to be critical of the siege was declared) and 15 November. For government were often banned or violently instance, at least 55 civilians were killed suppressed. Human rights defenders and during indiscriminate attacks by combatants journalists continued to be targeted with of the Cooperative for Development of the attacks and threats; at least three Congo (CODECO), an alliance of militia journalists were killed. Mining projects led groups, in the villages of Boga and Tchabi, in to serious pollution with a considerable Ituri province, on 30 May. In the same human rights impact. Children’s education province, the Congolese army killed seven was interrupted by teachers’ strikes over civilians in Nongo village on 2 May and eight poor pay and working conditions. civilians in the villages of Banikasowa, BACKGROUND Ndenge I and Ndenge II on 15 May. There were multiple abductions and 300,000 President Tshisekedi appointed Jean-Michel people fled their villages. Armed groups Sama Lukonde Kyenge as prime minister in including combatants of the Allied Amnesty International Report 2021/22 145