The Democratic Republic of Congo's democracy has been backsliding ahead of elections this month, according to rights defenders, as prominent journalists languish in prison and the murder of an opposition politician remains unsolved.
President Felix Tshisekedi came to power in 2019 after a campaign criticizing the rights record of his predecessor Joseph Kabila, among other issues.
But a slew of recent events have sparked concerns about the president's own record.
A former minister turned opposition member was found dead in the central African nation's capital of Kinshasa in July.
A few months later, one the best-known Congolese journalists was imprisoned after authorities accused him of spreading fake news about the murder.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is scheduled to hold elections on December 20. Tshisekedi, 60, will be running for a second term.
Human Rights Watch warned Saturday that it had documented clashes and other violence between supporters of rival parties that could undermine the vote.
Opposition members regularly say they are harassed and point to arrests they claim are politically motivated.
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