“The constitutional order must be respected”, Ayrault told reporters in NY on the sidelines of the United Nations.
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Gunshots could be heard Tuesday in Kinshasa as tensions rose.
Opposition groups contradicted the death toll, saying at least 50 people were killed as security forces fired live ammunition on protesters in the worst clash the country has witnessed since a bloody police crackdown in January 2015.
But the opposition said at least 50 people were killed during the protest.
Citing “credible reports”, Sawyer said that 37 protesters have been killed since the protests began, six police officers and one supporter of ruling leader Joseph Kabila’s party.
Almost 200 people were believed to have been arrested by Congo authorities on Monday and the United Nations received reports of excessive use of force by security forces, U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva. Both sides denied responsibility for the violence.
The ministry earlier said three people who died were policemen.
The headquarters of three opposition parties were torched overnight and at least two charred bodies have been found.
Bruno Tshibala, spokesman for the largest opposition party, said five were wounded in raids on four party headquarters.
“Kinshasa just experienced an uprising which ended in failure”, Boshab said, accusing demonstrators of “deliberately” ignoring a schedule which had been agreed with the authorities. Violence has erupted at what Jean-Marc Kabunda of the UDPS (an opposition party) describes as a lawful and pre-arranged rally.
Mende called on Congolese to regain their composure and let justice do its work. Tshisekedi went on to say that the DRC is a dictatorship and he says this government deserves the popular revolt that is coming to topple it.
Kabila, who has ruled mineral-rich DRC since 2001, is banned under the constitution from running for a third term – but he has given no sign of intending to give up his job.
“Confronting people exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly with excessive force fans the flames of unrest”.
Millions of people died in regional wars in Congo between 1996 and 2003 that drew in armies from half a dozen countries.
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UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon, the United States, France, former colonial power Belgium and the African Union also condemned the violence and called on the government to set an election date.
