In a distressing development, an internal United Nations report has unveiled that more than 260 female inmates were sexually assaulted during a failed mass escape from Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), earlier this month. The attempted breakout on September 2 resulted in a tragic loss of at least 129 lives as prison guards resorted to live ammunition to prevent inmates from fleeing. The prison, which is officially designed to accommodate 1,500 inmates, was severely overcrowded, housing over 15,000 prisoners at the time.
The government had initially confirmed that assaults on female prisoners occurred but did not provide detailed figures. The newly released U.N. report, which has been reviewed by Reuters, reveals that out of 348 women imprisoned at Makala, 268 were subjected to sexual violence, including rape, during the upheaval. This number also includes 17 victims who were younger than 19 years old. The report highlighted that these women required immediate medical intervention and emergency contraception due to the assaults.
In response to the report, a government spokesperson has not yet issued a statement. However, survivor testimonies paint a harrowing picture of the events. One survivor, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, reported being raped by at least a dozen fellow inmates. Another witness described a horrifying scene where male prisoners attacked female prisoners, including elderly women, during the chaos of the breakout.
Emmanuel Cole, a prominent Congolese human rights defender who has been monitoring prison conditions since 1997, labeled the incident as the most severe case of sexual violence related to an escape attempt he has ever encountered. Cole suggested that the actual number of victims could be higher than reported, as some survivors may be too fearful to come forward.
In light of the crisis, President Felix Tshisekedi has ordered a thorough investigation into the prison break and mandated a comprehensive review of the country’s prison system to address the issue of severe overcrowding. Despite the violence, no successful escapes were reported from the prison during the incident. The government’s response and ongoing investigations are expected to address both the immediate aftermath of the assault and the systemic issues contributing to such crises.
