Protesters in Congo call for the release of political prisoners, including 3 top opposition figures

Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Hundreds have protested in front of Congo’s top court to demand the release of political prisoners, including the country’s three most prominent opposition figures imprisoned on charges the opposition says are politically motivated. Protesters on Wednesday in the capital, Kinshasa, held banners that read, “Release political prisoners.” After the protest ended, representatives of several opposition parties handed the minister of justice a statement that accused President Felix Tshisekedi of trying to “muzzle the opponents.” Tshisekedi, who was reelected in December with results questioned by the opposition, has spent much time trying to gain legitimacy after a disputed 2018 election while struggling to quell violence in the country’s east.