DR Congo

More than 260 women incarcerated at Makala Central Prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo were sexually assaulted during a recent mass escape attempt, according to an internal U.N. report obtained by Reuters. At least 129 people were killed as prison guards opened fire on inmates trying to flee the Kinshasa facility, which, despite being designed to hold 1,500 prisoners, had a population exceeding 15,000 at the time of the incident. Following the chaotic escape attempt in the early hours of Sept. 2, the government acknowledged reports of sexual violence against female prisoners but did not provide specific figures. However, the U.N. report revealed that 268 of the 348 women held at the prison were subjected to sexual violence, including rape. Among the victims, 17 were under the age of 19. The report also highlighted the urgent need for post-assault medical care, stating that each victim required access to emergency contraception and post-rape kits within 72 hours. Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday. One victim, who spoke to Reuters anonymously out of fear of retaliation, described being raped by at least a dozen inmates. Another woman, also requesting anonymity for safety reasons, recounted witnessing male prisoners assaulting female inmates, including elderly women. “It was horrific,” she said. The women’s block, one of seven out of the prison’s 11 blocks that were vandalized, was specifically targeted during the attack. “This is the worst case we’ve encountered in terms of the number of rapes during a prison escape,” said Emmanuel Cole, a Congolese human rights defender who has been monitoring prisons since 1997. Cole believes the true number of victims could be higher, as many may be too afraid to report the assaults. In response to the incident, President Felix Tshisekedi has ordered an investigation into the prison break and a review of the country’s overcrowded prisons. Despite the attempted escape, no prisoners ultimately managed to flee.