Event Summary
Between 17 and 25 October 2025, two leading civil society figures in the Republic of Congo – the executive director of the Congolese Human Rights Observatory (OCDH) and the director of the Centre for Development Action (CAD) – were the targets of an escalating campaign of intimidation on social media. This campaign took place as they denounced human rights violations committed as part of Operation Zero Kuluna, carried out by the Directorate General of Presidential Security (DGSP) to combat armed youth gangs known as ‘Bébés noirs’ (Black Babies).
- On 17 October, a pro-government commentator posted a threatening message on Facebook attacking the director of the OCDH after she called for an end to extrajudicial executions in the context of Operation Zero Kuluna.
- On 25 October, another Facebook user falsely accused the director of CAD of being a Black Babies gang leader and circulated his photo, presenting him as actively wanted by the security services.
Also on 25 October, Bongho Andayi Lemy, an ordinary citizen with no militant or criminal ties, was summarily executed by DGSP agents during the operation. His body, bearing gunshot wounds, was anonymously deposited at the Brazzaville municipal morgue, a practice that morgue staff describe as commonplace in DGSP operations. DGSP emissaries subsequently acknowledged their responsibility unofficially and offered to cover funeral expenses, while refusing to identify the perpetrators.
These incidents are part of a broader wave of harassment unleashed by the DGSP. Any individual or organisation that raises human rights concerns is quickly labelled a gang sympathiser and subjected to hate speech. Influencers close to the authorities, such as members of the Presidential Youth Movement, have actively mobilised social media to discredit civil society and justify abuses, thereby reinforcing an ecosystem of intimidation that is not necessarily organised but clearly pro-government.
State authorities have not condemned the threats or abuses; on the contrary, the Minister of Communication has publicly criticised NGOs for opposing the operation. The intensity of this harassment campaign has prompted Congolese activists to respond on social media in order to reframe the issue and clarify the motivations behind civil society’s positions on this operation. In response, the OCDH published a position paper on 3 November denouncing the intimidation of human rights defenders. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, RPDH published a statement calling on the government to strengthen the protection of women defenders who are subject to attacks and digital harassment. The organisation recommended the urgent adoption of the law on the protection of defenders.