DRC President Joseph Kabila’s designated successor in the coming December 23 presidential election, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, on Tuesday asked the European Union to lift “humiliating, degrading and disproportionate” sanctions on him and 14 other officials.
The sanctions; a freeze on visas that effectively prevent European travel, also affect government spokesman and Communications Minister Lambert Mende and intelligence chief Kalev Mutondo.Shadary, who was the former interior minister was also amongst those targeted for “human rights violations.”These sanctions “seriously undermine the image” of these people “some of whom are candidates in major elections which will take place on December 23,” their lawyers Thierry Bontinck and Patrick De Wolf said.
The two lawyers, from Paris and Brussels, also said they would lodge an appeal with the EU court.
