The campaign group Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) has said that a famous Congolese surgeon has been getting death threats and called for the UN to protect him. Dr Denis Mukwege is a Congolese gynaecologist who won the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for treating victims of sexual violence.
PHR said Dr Mukwege has been “a target of an alarming intimidation campaign” including being sent death threats by text message. It says the threats appear to be a response to Dr Mukwege calling for people to be prosecuted for serious violations of human rights during the DR Congo wars between 1993 and 2003.
In July Rwanda’s former minister of defence Gen James Kabarebe denounced Dr Mukwege on state television. He said Dr Mukwege was among “those who spread false propaganda of Rwandan army killing civilians in Congo”.
PHR appealed to the UN peace mission in DR Congo to “ensure continued protection” of Dr Mukwege and the staff at his hospital in the city of Bukavu, in the eastern region.
