Delivering an Urgent Message to the U.N. Human Rights Council To Demand Action for Congo’s Dying Christians

“Violence against Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached alarming levels in recent months.”

Those were the words I just delivered in front of the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC) this week to urge international intervention for suffering Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and all around the world. I traveled to Geneva to shine a light on the deadly violence and abuse being cruelly inflicted on innocent Christian men, women, and children.

The widespread targeted slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Congo is reaching genocidal levels. Our contacts on the ground there have told horrific stories – stories I can’t even repeat – of the most brutal evil imaginable.

As I told the global body:

In February 2025, the ADF, a terrorist group affiliated with the Islamic State, massacred 70 Christians in brutal attacks that targeted places of worship. These atrocities are part of a broader campaign of terror. Between January and February 2025, a child was sexually assaulted every 30 minutes, and over 7 million people are now internally displaced.

We welcome the resolution adopted by the European Parliament in April 2025, condemning these attacks and recognizing their religious dimension. But this Council must also act.

As is often the case, the violence is driven not only by ideology, but also by the desire to control strategic natural resources. Armed groups exploit this chaos to enrich themselves, while Christian communities continue to bear the brunt of the violence.

We respectfully urge the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Human Rights Abuses and Violations in the Provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu to include in its investigations the specific targeting of Christian communities. While the resolution rightly addresses human rights violations in the context of the conflict, it does not address the religious dimension. That must change.

The ECLJ, therefore, calls on this Council to:

• Acknowledge the religious character of the persecution against Christians in eastern DRC.
• Support international mechanisms to investigate and prosecute crimes against humanity.
• Ensure the protection of displaced and targeted populations.

We made this oral intervention at the U.N. HRC through our international affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), which has consultative status at the U.N.

We will continue working around the world, as well as in Washington DC where we recently sent a joint letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that was drafted by the ACLJ and co-signed by a coalition of organizations committed to human rights and religious liberty. These actions are just a part of our multipronged efforts to shine a light on the horror being perpetrated against Christians and demand action to defend them.

Take action with us, and sign our petition.