Urgent Action of Amnesty international on Human rights defender Golden Misabiko DRC-Lubumbashi

URGENT ACTION
LEADING DRC HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER ARRESTED
A prominent human rights defender has been detained as prisoner of conscience since 24 July in the south-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). His organization had recently published a report alleging state complicity in illegal mining at a uranium mine, and he is facing politically motivated charges.
Golden Misabiko, President of the Association Africaine de défense des Droits de l'Homme in Katanga province (ASADHO/Katanga), was arrested on 24 July by the intelligence services in the provincial capital, Lubumbashi. He is held at the Prosecutor’s Office (Parquet), sleeping outdoors on a cardboard box because the holding cell is overcrowded and filthy.
On 29 July, the Lubumbashi High Court ordered that he should be detained for 15 days, for further investigation and possible trial on charges of "threatening state security" (atteinte à la sûreté de l’Etat) and "defamation" (diffamation). The court rejected a plea from his lawyers to release him on bail. The Katanga judicial authorities appear to have been put under political pressure to keep Golden Misabiko in detention.
The charges against Golden Misabiko relate to a report published by ASADHO/Katanga on 12 July about the Shinkolobwe uranium mine. The report alleged that military and civilian officials had been complicit in illegal mining at Shinkolobwe after the government closed the mine for reasons of national security and public safety, in January 2004. The report said that the DRC authorities had not done enough to secure the mine. It also criticised the lack of transparency in a 26 March agreement between the government and the French nuclear energy company AREVA, which grants AREVA rights to prospect and mine for uranium in the DRC.
On 28 July Katanga human rights activists held a peaceful protest, outside the Lubumbashi courthouse, against Golden Misabiko’s detention.

PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in French or your own language:

 Demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Golden Misabiko, as he is a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for his lawful human rights work.

 Asking the government to ensure urgently that Golden Misabiko’s conditions of detention are improved.