Kinshasa, DRC -In a statement published on Monday, the Congolese Association for the Defence of the Rights to Truth in Memory of Innocent Civilian Victims (ACDDV-DH) reaffirmed its full support for UN Security Council Resolution 2825 (2026).
ACDDV-DH is advocating for the full implementation of the resolution, particularly the recognition of the importance of accountability for the 2017 killings of UN experts Zaida Maria Catalán and Michael Sharp.
The victims’ families have waited a long time for genuine accountability for the double murder. ACDDV-DH acknowledges the importance of the final verdict; however, it believes investigations must continue beyond that ruling to uncover the real masterminds behind the double murder, the statement reads.
On 5 June 2026, the Congolese High Military Court issued the final verdict in the appeal trial, ruling that the killing of the two experts constituted a war crime. ACDDV-DH believes the ruling raises further questions about who ordered the double murder and why.
The organisation led by Congolese human rights activist Richie Lontulungu Nsombola is urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open a criminal investigation following the High Military Court final verdict, which recognised the experts’ double murder as a war crime.
ACDDVDH also called on UN Security Council members to support the appeal.
Furthermore, we are concerned about the condition of the court files and fear that poor storage could cause important documents to deteriorate.
The human rights organisation now fears that poor handling could cause sensitive documents to deteriorate. It recommended that the Congolese High Military Court keep the trial records concerning the UN experts double murder case in a suitable, secure location and prioritise their digitisation. Tamtam News
