Back Guardia Republicana (República Democrática del Congo) Spanish Guarda Republicana (República Democrática do Congo) Portuguese Республиканская гвардия Демократической Республики Конго Russian
| Congolese Republican Guard | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Flag_of_the_President_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo.svg) Presidential Standard of the DRC | |
| Active | c. mid-2000s – present |
| Country |  Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Allegiance | &sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Presidential_Seal_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo.svg){kind=small} President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Branch | Independent |
| Type | Praetorian guard Republican guard |
| Role | Security of the president |
| Size | 10,000–15,000 |
| Headquarters | Kinshasa |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief | President Félix Tshisekedi |
| Commander | Christian Tshiwewe |
The Congolese Republican Guard (French: Garde Républicaine) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as the Special Presidential Security Group (Groupe Spécial de Sécurité Présidentielle, GSSP), is a praetorian guard unit maintained by and tasked to protect the Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi. Congolese military officials state that the Republican Guard (GR) is an independent branch and not the responsibility of FARDC, but the Head of State.[1] Apart from Article 140 of the Law on the Army and Defence, no legal stipulation on the DRC's Armed Forces makes provision for the GR as a distinct unit within the national army. In February 2005, President Joseph Kabila passed a decree which appointed the GR's commanding officer and 'repealed any previous provisions contrary' to that decree. The GR is more than 10,000 strong (the ICG said 10,000–15,000 in January 2007), and formerly consisted of three brigades, the 10th, at Kinshasa, the 15th, and the 16th, at Lubumbashi[2] (more recently it has been reorganized into defense zones and regiments).[3] It has better working conditions and is paid regularly, but still commits numerous crimes near their bases, including against United Nations officials.[4]
It is said to be part of the Military Household (Maison Militaire) of the President, which are the DRC's state security agencies, and has been used against President Kabila's political opposition. The Republican Guard has been accused, by the United States, the United Nations, and numerous human rights groups of undermining the democratic process in the country by harassing political rivals, targeting opposition parties, abusing journalists, arbitrarily detaining and executing civilians, and preventing public gatherings.[5][6]
- ^ Amnesty International, DRC Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and the Reform of the Army Archived 2007-08-21 at the Wayback Machine, Section VII A, 25 January 2007, AI Index: AFR 62/001/2007
- ^ 15th Brigade identified via EUSEC DR Congo Youtube video. See also reference to 16th Brigade at Lubumbashi at http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaire05.html Archived 2009-06-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
descwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ The Republican Guard Archived 2018-08-25 at the Wayback Machine. Congo Research Group. Published 10 January 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ Treasury Sanctions Senior Congolese Official for Leading Republican Guard in Undermining Democratic Processes Archived 2018-06-16 at the Wayback Machine. US Embassy in the DRC. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
amnestywas invoked but never defined (see the help page).