What changed

B100214/2025

B100211/2025

European Parliament resolution on the targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: defending religious freedom and security

(2025/2612(RSP))

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in particular its resolution of 13 February 2025 on the escalation of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo,

– having regard to the UN Report of the Mapping Exercise documenting the most serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law committed within the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between March 1993 and June 2003, of August 2010,

– having regard to UN Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025) of 21 February 2025 on the situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

– having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, of the other part (the Samoa Agreement),

– having regard to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which was adopted on 27 June 1981 and entered into force on 21 October 1986,

– having regard to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which entered into force on 18 February 2006,

– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

– having regard to the Charter of the United Nations,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas there has been a deterioration in the security situation in the eastern DRC overcontinues theto pastdeteriorate year,significantly, with different armed groups, and atescalating timesviolence, governmentpersistent soldiers,violations committingof widespreadhuman violence,rights unlawfulby killingsarmed andgroups, othermass gravedisplacement, abuses,attacks puttingon civilians atand greatalarming risk;humanitarian conditions;

B. whereas the UN Group of Experts, established pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1533 (2004), estimates that between 3 000 and 4 000 Rwandan army troops are on the ground in the DRC, and considers that the deployment of the Rwanda Defence Force violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, and that Rwanda’s de facto control and direction over M23 operations also renders Rwanda liable for the actions of M23;

B. whereas on 18 March 2025 Presidents Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC and Paul Kagame of Rwanda agreed on an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in their first face-to-face meeting in over a year, facilitated by Qatari mediators in Doha;

C. whereas the World Religion Database estimates that 95.1 % of the population in the DRC is Christian, 1.5 % is Muslim and 2.5 % has no religious affiliation; whereas the Constitution of the DRC provides for freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on religious belief;

C. whereas the armed group M23, backed by Rwanda, has intensified attacks in North Kivu, and on 19 March 2025 it seized the mineral-rich town of Walikale, defying the ceasefire;

D. whereas a group referred to as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), with links to the Islamic State, has reportedly carried out continued indiscriminate attacks against civilians in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, on occasion targeting churches and religious leaders; whereas such violence targets all communities, but most victims have been Christian, belonging to the religious majority; whereas the deaths of at least 849 men, women and children were attributed to the ADF in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces in 2020, according to the UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC; whereas the ADF allegedly also carried out an attack on a church baptism in Kasindi, North Kivu Province in February 2023, killing 16 and injuring at least 62, as well as different attacks on villages in North Kivu in March 2023, killing more than 83 civilians, including children;

D. whereas over 7 million people are currently displaced because of ongoing conflicts, with limited access to food, water, healthcare and essential services;

E. whereas, since 2015, the ADF has released increasing amounts of propaganda that reflect the group’s ‘ideological alignment with the Islamic State’, including, among other objectives, ‘an increased focus on efforts to kill non-Muslim civilians’, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies; whereas both local Christian and Muslim leaders, with vocal support from the government, have on more than one occasion condemned the ADF’s attacks on civilians;

E. whereas there has been an alarming increase in targeted attacks against civilians, including, but not limited to, Christians, particularly in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, perpetrated by extremist groups; whereas these attacks, including church bombings, killings and abductions, undermine religious freedom and exacerbate intercommunal tensions; whereas the right to freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental human right and must be protected given the high level of violence and persecution;

F. whereas the UN and the DRC had agreed on the withdrawal of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) in mid-2024, leading to a degradation of the security situation and affecting civilians, who were left exposed to human rights abuses by state security forces and armed actors;

F. whereas women and girls in the DRC face increased levels of sexual and gender-based violence, resulting in there being one victim of rape every four minutes; whereas the staff of Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, which receives many survivors of sexual violence, is alarmed about the deteriorating security situation in the area and about the security of the staff and patients in Panzi Hospital itself;

G. whereas the DRC has one of the highest rates of internal displacement in the world; whereas many women and children live in precarious conditions and are being exposed to the risk of harassment, assault or sexual exploitation; whereas displaced populations often receive no basic life-saving services and are at risk of malnutrition and disease; whereas cities that host internally displaced people in precarious circumstances are also targets of attack by different militias, causing great distress to the displaced communities and to the local population;

G. whereas the illegal exploitation of mineral resources continues to fuel conflict in the region, necessitating stronger international oversight and responsible sourcing policies;

H. whereas state authorities and rebel groups have obligations to civilians under international humanitarian law, including protecting and facilitating access to humanitarian assistance, and permitting freedom of movement;

H. whereas in February 2025, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi proposed a deal to US President Donald Trump, in which he seeks military support against M23 rebels in exchange for access to the DRC’s vast mineral resources;

I. whereas the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations in the DRC have focused on alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed mainly in the eastern DRC, in the Ituri region and the North and South Kivu Provinces, since 1 July 2002; whereas the DRC made a second referral in May 2023 concerning alleged crimes committed in North Kivu since 1 January 2022;

I. whereas the EU has committed to supporting stability in the DRC through diplomatic engagement, financial assistance and targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for violence and human rights abuses;

1. Is concerned by the humanitarian and security situation in the DRC and the findings in the recent reports of the UN Group of Experts established pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1533 (2004), and fully supports the reports’ recommendations;

J. whereas on 17 March 2025, the EU imposed sanctions on nine individuals and one entity responsible for acts that constitute serious human rights violations and abuses in the DRC, but further diplomatic and economic measures may be necessary;

2. Welcomes the Council’s decision on 17 March 2025 to impose restrictive measures on nine individuals and one entity responsible for acts that constitute serious human rights violations and abuses in the DRC and for sustaining the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC and exploiting the armed conflict through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources;

K. whereas the Council renewed the EU’s financial support for the deployment of Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) troops in Mozambique under the European Peace Facility (EPF); whereas the head of these forces was previously deployed in the eastern DRC to support abuses committed by M23, giving rise to serious doubt as to whether there are sufficient safeguards attached to EPF support, including effective vetting and other human rights requirements;

3. Commends the announcement of the ICC Prosecutor that the ICC will continue to investigate alleged crimes committed by any person, irrespective of affiliation or nationality; is highly concerned about the fragile situation of the ICC, noting that this fragility is already undermining the ICC’s crucial work to bring justice to victims of the most serious crimes worldwide; reiterates the EU’s unwavering support for the ICC and calls on the Council and the Commission to fulfil their obligations to ensure the functioning and effectiveness of the ICC;

1. Expresses deep concern over the worsening security and humanitarian crisis in the eastern DRC;

4. Calls on the Commission to continue supporting anti-corruption efforts and strengthening governance in the DRC; stresses that it is the primary responsibility of the Government of the DRC to ensure security in its territory and protect its civilians, while respecting the rule of law, international human rights law and international humanitarian law;

2. Strongly condemns the occupation of Goma and other territories in the eastern DRC by M23 and the RDF as an unacceptable breach of the DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; urges the Rwandan Government to withdraw its troops from DRC territory, the presence of whom is a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter, and cease cooperation with the M23 rebels; demands that Rwanda and all other potential state actors in the region cease their support for M23;

5. Welcomes the special session of the UN Human Rights Council of 7 February 2025 on the human rights situation in the east of the DRC; supports the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into serious violations committed since January 2022;

3. Calls for an immediate and effective ceasefire, and for the full implementation of diplomatic agreements, including the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes;

6. Reiterates its condemnation of hate speech, xenophobia, ethnic-based politics, and attacks on religious freedom; underlines that all those responsible for sustaining armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC must be held accountable;

4. Is appalled by the shocking use of sexual violence against women and girls as a tool of repression and a weapon of war in the eastern DRC, and by the unacceptable recruitment of child soldiers by the various rebel groups; demands that these matters be addressed by the international community without delay; reiterates strongly that any attack against UN-mandated forces is inexcusable and might be considered a war crime;

7. Recalls that human rights violations are being used as a weapon of war and that the vast majority of attacks against civilians in the DRC are not motivated by religion but are most often committed on ethnic, political, terrorist or financial grounds;

5. Calls for an immediate end to the violence, particularly the mass killings and the use of rape as a strategic weapon of war; calls on the DRC and Rwanda to investigate and appropriately prosecute those responsible for war crimes, including targeted attacks against Christian and all other religious communities and places of worship;

8. Calls upon the relevant parties to provide a safe environment for civil society organisations and human rights defenders to enable them to carry out their work freely;

6. Calls on the DRC Government to implement security sector reforms, intensify its efforts to prevent further atrocities against civilians and end its support for and collaboration with abusive armed groups, including ensuring the full protection of religious communities and their places of worship; urges the DRC Government to ensure accountability for human rights violations and prosecute those responsible for attacks; urges the DRC Government to address and prevent hate speech and incitement, including the involvement of officials in such acts, and hate-motivated acts of violence or intimidation;

9. Calls on the Government of the DRC to implement the recommendations of the 2010 Mapping Report, particularly regarding security sector reforms, the strengthening of institutions and the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and regional cooperation efforts for the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of serious crimes;

7. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase humanitarian aid to address the urgent needs of displaced persons and vulnerable communities in the DRC, ensuring safe access to food, medical care and shelter;

10. Urges neighbouring states of the DRC to withdraw their troops, to cease all military activities on the soil of the DRC, unless expressly invited to conduct such activities by the Government of the DRC, and to stop their support to armed groups; emphasises that incursions by certain actors in the region, such as the Rwandan forces and M23, further destabilise the DRC by forcing the its army to engage on multiple fronts, making it more difficult to combat armed and terrorist groups;

8. Supports the imposition of further targeted EU sanctions against individuals and entities responsible for financing or engaging in violence, human rights abuses and resource exploitation; calls on the Council to implement and expand these sanctions by targeting all responsible entities and individuals, including Major General Emmy K. Ruvusha, Commander of the Rwanda Security Forces, identified in the June 2023 report of the UN Group of Experts;

11. Calls for a quick resumption of negotiations within the Luanda Process to find a lasting, peaceful and political solution, and urges all sides to fully honour their engagements within the Luanda Process, specifically the ceasefire agreed on 30 July 2024, the neutralisation of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda and M23 rebel groups, and the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from the territory of the DRC; calls for the EU to have an active role in the diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict, advocating for an immediate ceasefire and a renewed commitment to dialogue, with the protection of civilians at the core of negotiations, in particular women and children;

9. Calls for stricter enforcement of EU regulations on conflict minerals to prevent illicit trade from fuelling armed groups in the DRC; calls once again on the Commission to suspend the Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda and to suspend its support for all projects associated with the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, as such projects could lead to direct or indirect support for human rights violations in the eastern DRC; requests that the Commission share detailed mapping of current projects with Rwandan authorities and its assessment of whether they may contribute to or fail to address human rights violations either inside Rwanda or in the DRC;

12. Deplores the fact that fighting and the shelling of medical infrastructure in and around Goma has severely limited the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need;

10. Calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service to intensify diplomatic efforts by working closely with regional partners, including the African Union, the East African Community and the United Nations, in order to step up diplomatic efforts to achieve a sustainable resolution to the conflict;

13. Calls on all countries neighbouring the DRC, in particular Rwanda, to facilitate access of humanitarian equipment and personnel to all areas occupied by the rebels groups in the eastern DRC, including through the reopening of Goma airport and of borders;

11. Expresses concern over reports of foreign interference exacerbating the conflict and calls for an independent investigation into allegations of external support for armed groups;

14. Calls on the Commission to suspend the EU-Rwanda Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable raw materials value chains, put a halt to any plans to support any mining projects in Rwanda, put in place a trade embargo on all minerals imported from Rwanda into the EU and an export ban on weapons from the EU to Rwanda, and suspend any further military and security assistance to Rwanda until the territorial integrity of the DRC is restored; calls on the Commission to proactively engage with Rwanda’s main partners to ensure coordinated action;

12. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Governments and Parliaments of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the African Union and other relevant international bodies.

15. Calls for the Government of the DRC and its international partners, including the EU, to establish new monitoring mechanisms for the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region, signed in Addis Ababa;

16. Deplores the fact that Rwanda announced the termination of its diplomatic relations with Belgium, and expresses its solidarity with Belgium;

17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Government and Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the African Union, the secretariats of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community, and other relevant international bodies.