Stop sending asylum seekers back to torture and death in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have a poor record in terms of protecting their opponents fundamental Human Rights. Ref http://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-democratic-republic-congo.

There is mounting evidence that those who have publicly voiced their concerns about human rights and the electoral process in the DRC, while in the UK & have been political activists in the DRC who are being forcibly returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo are in great danger of arrest, torture, rape and even death. Their rights are fundamental are not ensured & fully respecteded on return. This evidence has been documented in the report Unsafe Return by Catherine Ramos of Justice First, which has been endorsed by Amnesty International UK at their AGM in 2012, with the passing of Motion A1.

It has also been noted during a fact-minding mission to Kinshasa by UKBA and Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff that local Congolese NGOs indicated that failed asylum seekers from the UK are art risk of ill-treatment. More details are available at the following web address.: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/
A large amount of evidence suggessts that it is presently unsafe for both low-level and high-level activists to be returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo. There needs to be a moratorium called by the Home Secretary on returns of activists to the DRC, until such time that it can be clearly demonstrated that it is safe for them to be returned and until such time that the UK government can make resources available to monitor what happens to returnees on their return.