Tanzanian authorities are preparing to extradite a former Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) army colonel who threatened an upsrising against President Joseph Kabila, news agency AFP reports.
John Tshibangu, who deserted to rebel against Mr Kabila in 2012, said in a video posted on social media on two weeks ago that he would “remove” the president within 45 days unless he apologised for a “massacre” of demonstrators on 31 December last year.
Mr Tshibangu was arrested on Monday at Dar es Salaam airport, according to the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
The organisation’s Director Florent Geel said his family sought FIDH’s help, adding:
“We do not endorse this man’s armed struggle, but there’s a risk of physical harm if he is extradited to DR Congo.”
Tanzania and DR Congo officials have declined to comment, AFP reports.
President Kabila has been under pressure to resign after he refused to step down when his mandate ended in 2016.
He has reneged on two deals that would see him leave office, and opposition supporters – who have intensified their protests against Mr Kabila – suspect that he will not honour another deal for him to leave office by December.
Meanwhile, the UN mission in DR Congo said last week that “state agents” – mainly the armed forces – carried out 1,176 extra-judicial killings last year, killing at least 89 women and 213 children.
