The Republic of Congo gained independence from French Equatorial Africa in 1960. It was a one-party Marxist–Leninist state from 1969 to 1991. Multi-party elections have been held since 1992, although a democratically elected government was ousted in the 1997 civil war and President Denis Sassou Nguesso has ruled for 26 of the past 36 years. The political stability and development of hydrocarbon production made the Republic of the Congo the fourth largest oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea region, providing the country with relative prosperity despite instability in some areas and unequal distribution of oil revenue nationwide. The Congolese Human Right Observatory claims a number of unresolved and pending issues in the country. Discrimination against Pygmies is widespread, the result of cultural biases, especially traditional relationships with the Bantu, as well as more contemporary forms of exploitation.

General situation According to The Congolese Human Right Observatory, notable issues in the country include: unsatisfactory access to water and electricity, the dispossession of indigenous and local communities by multinational corporations in complicity with local authorities, a significant number of political prisoners, repression of foreign journalists via legal proceedings and attacks by police, general limiting of political freedoms, violations of the right to a fair trial, rape and other forms of sexual assault, torture, arbitrary arrests and detentions, summary executions, ill-treatment within prisons, discrimination and marginalization of indigenous peoples in spite of specific laws protecting them, and threats against human rights defenders.

Status of Pygmies According to some reports, the relation between Pygmies and Bantus in all areas of the country is "strained, lopsided and, some say, abusive". While some claim that the bondage is a "time-honored tradition", others point at the fact that Pygmies can be paid "at the master's whim; in cigarettes, used clothing, or even nothing at all." Pygmies are negatively affected by the actions of landowners, foresters and miners, which severely impacts upon their nomadic lifestyles in the forests of northern Congo.

On 30 December 2010, the Congo parliament adopted a law for the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. This law is the first of its kind in Africa, and its adoption is a historic development for indigenous peoples on the continent. However, a report in 2015 suggested that not much changed, with Pygmies still being persecuted as "poachers". A Bayaka woman in Congo said “the ecoguards [anti-poaching squads] make us sit here starving. They have ruined our world. If we try to hunt in the forest they beat us so badly. They even kill us if they see us in the forest.” A 2019 report by the United Nations found that despite the actions of the Congolese government, Pygmies still experienced discrimination and severe social exclusion.

Media

The media is classed as non-free. It is owned or controlled by the government. There is one government-owned television station, three government-owned radio stations, and three private pro-government radio stations, and a government-owned newspaper.

Historical situation The following chart shows the ROC's ratings since 1972 in the Freedom in the World reports, published annually by Freedom House. A rating of 1 is "free"; 7, "not free". + Historical ratings YearPolitical RightsCivil LibertiesStatusPresident 197277Not FreeMarien Ngouabi 197356Partly FreeMarien Ngouabi 197456Partly FreeMarien Ngouabi 197556Partly FreeMarien Ngouabi 197656Partly FreeMarien Ngouabi 197776Not FreeMarien Ngouabi 197877Not FreeJoachim Yhombi-Opango 197977Not FreeJoachim Yhombi-Opango 198076Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198176Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198276Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198376Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198476Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198576Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198676Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198776Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198876Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 198976Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 199066Not FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 199164Partly FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 199233Partly FreeDenis Sassou-Nguesso 199333Partly FreePascal Lissouba 199444Partly FreePascal Lissouba 199544Partly FreePascal Lissouba 199644Partly FreePascal Lissouba 199775Not FreePascal Lissouba 199875Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 199965Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200064Partly FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200154Partly FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200264Partly FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200354Partly FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200454Partly FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200555Partly FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200665Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200765Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200865Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 200965Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201065Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201165Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201265Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201365Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201465Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201565Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201675Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201775Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201875Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 201975Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 202075Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 202176Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 202276Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso 202376Not FreeDenis Sassou Nguesso

International treaties The ROC's stances on international human rights treaties are as follows:

+ International treaties Treaty Organization Introduced Signed Ratified Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide United Nations1948-- International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination United Nations1966-1988 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights United Nations1966-1983 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights United Nations1966-1983 First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights United Nations1966-1983 Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity United Nations1968-- International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid United Nations1973-1983 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women United Nations197919801982 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment United Nations1984-2003 Convention on the Rights of the Child United Nations198919901993 Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty United Nations1989-- International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families United Nations19902008- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women United Nations19992008- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict United Nations2000-2010 Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography United Nations2000-2009 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities United Nations20062007- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities United Nations20062007- International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance United Nations20062007- Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights United Nations20082009- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a Communications Procedure United Nations2011--

See also

Freedom of religion in the Republic of the Congo Human trafficking in the Republic of the Congo Internet censorship and surveillance in the Republic of the Congo LGBT rights in the Republic of the Congo Politics of the Republic of the Congo

Notes 1.Note that the "Year" signifies the "Year covered". Therefore the information for the year marked 2008 is from the report published in 2009, and so on. 2.As of January 1. 3.The 1982 report covers the year 1981 and the first half of 1982, and the following 1984 report covers the second half of 1982 and the whole of 1983. In the interest of simplicity, these two aberrant "year and a half" reports have been split into three year-long reports through interpolation.

References

External links 2012 Annual Report, by Amnesty International Freedom in the World 2012 Report, by Freedom House