At least 44 people were killed in protests against Congolese President Joseph Kabila, including 37 killed by security forces and six police officers killed by demonstrators, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says.
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President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the war-torn, resource-rich former Belgian colony since succeeding his slain father in 2001, has given no indication he will step down when his current term ends at the end of December.
A high court has determined Kabila can stay in office until a new leader is elected.
Deadly protests erupted on Monday, after the country’s electoral commission chose to postpone the next presidential election that was due to be held in November.
Congolese riot police get on their trucks as they deploy, after violence erupted due to the delay of the presidential elections in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2016.
Gunshots could be heard Tuesday in Kinshasa as tensions rose.
Almost 200 people were believed to have been arrested on Monday and the United Nations received reports of excessive use of force by security forces, Colville told reporters in Geneva.
Protesters erected barricades and burned tyres for a second day after 17 people, including three policemen, were killed on Monday, according to the interior minister. Both sides denied responsibility for the violence.
Bruno Tshibala, spokesman for the largest opposition party, said five were wounded in raids on four party headquarters.
Tshisekedi, who has called for further protests, said: “We won’t live with this barbarity”.
Congo’s government spokesman, Lambert Mende, condemned the burning of opposition party buildings as well as attacks on other buildings, including two ruling party buildings and a school, by opposition protesters.
Adding to the mix of disapproval, Congo’s powerful Catholic church temporarily suspend its participation in talks between the government, some opposition parties and civil society groups over the election timetable, local media said.
Kabila’s opponents say the proposed delay is a maneuver to keep the president in power, after nearly completing his second term tenure.
The global community has called for calm in the country while activists in DRC have created an online event as part of their efforts to mount pressure on President Kabila to step aside.
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The protests erupted after the election commission made a decision to try to postpone the next presidential vote, due in November.
