{"id":1848,"date":"2022-05-30T13:32:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T13:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/?p=1848"},"modified":"2025-06-20T19:32:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T19:32:15","slug":"story-gedeon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/story-gedeon\/","title":{"rendered":"Au mauvais endroit au mauvais moment : L\u2019histoire de G\u00e9d\u00e9on"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Le 1er janvier 2020, alors que la ville de Kinshasa s\u2019\u00e9veille doucement \u00e0 la nouvelle ann\u00e9e, la vie de G\u00e9d\u00e9on bascule.<\/span><\/p>\n

Il a 17 ans \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9poque. Orphelin de p\u00e8re et de m\u00e8re, dernier d\u2019une fratrie de six enfants, il travaille comme ouvrier sur un chantier dans la commune de la Gombe pour survivre. Ce soir-l\u00e0, vers 20h, il rentre du travail, fatigu\u00e9 mais soulag\u00e9 d\u2019avoir termin\u00e9 sa journ\u00e9e.<\/span><\/p>\n

Il ne le sait pas encore, mais il ne rentrera pas chez lui.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00c0 quelques pas de son domicile, il croise un jeune homme pourchass\u00e9 par une foule en col\u00e8re. Le gar\u00e7on est rattrap\u00e9, plaqu\u00e9 au sol. G\u00e9d\u00e9on, qui se trouvait simplement au mauvais endroit au mauvais moment, est arr\u00eat\u00e9 lui aussi. Sans comprendre pourquoi, il est pass\u00e9 \u00e0 tabac, puis emmen\u00e9 au poste de police.<\/span><\/p>\n

Le lendemain, la victime de l\u2019agression \u2013 un militaire \u2013 se pr\u00e9sente au commissariat. Il reconna\u00eet formellement son agresseur et pr\u00e9cise que <\/span>G\u00e9d\u00e9on n\u2019\u00e9tait pas pr\u00e9sent lors des faits<\/b>, survenus la veille sur la terrasse d\u2019un restaurant. Pourtant, les deux jeunes sont transf\u00e9r\u00e9s \u00e0 l\u2019auditorat militaire pour \u00eatre interrog\u00e9s.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quelques jours plus tard, les parents du v\u00e9ritable agresseur paient 300 dollars au militaire pour le d\u00e9dommager, puis versent 100 dollars suppl\u00e9mentaires pour obtenir la lib\u00e9ration de leur fils.<\/span><\/p>\n

G\u00e9d\u00e9on, lui, n\u2019a personne.<\/b> Pas de parents. Pas d\u2019argent. Et pas de voix pour le d\u00e9fendre.<\/span><\/p>\n

Le 7 janvier, il est transf\u00e9r\u00e9 \u00e0 la prison militaire de Ndolo, puis \u00e0 celle de Makala, le 2 f\u00e9vrier. Il y restera <\/span>plus de deux ans<\/b>, sans jugement, sans mandat d\u2019arr\u00eat, sans m\u00eame avoir \u00e9t\u00e9 entendu par un juge.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Notre intervention<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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En juillet 2021, gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 notre intervention aupr\u00e8s du parquet de Kinkole, un magistrat se rend enfin \u00e0 la prison de Makala. Il d\u00e9couvre l\u2019injustice dont est victime G\u00e9d\u00e9on : une <\/span>d\u00e9tention totalement irr\u00e9guli\u00e8re<\/b>, prolong\u00e9e dans l\u2019indiff\u00e9rence la plus totale.<\/span><\/p>\n

Le 22 septembre 2021, G\u00e9d\u00e9on est cit\u00e9 \u00e0 compara\u00eetre devant le Tribunal de Grande Instance de Kinshasa\/Gombe. Il est accus\u00e9 de <\/span>coups et blessures avec extorsion<\/b> - un crime passible de <\/span>20 ans de prison<\/b>. Les magistrats lui demandent de compara\u00eetre volontairement, sans avocat. Il refuse. Il sait qu\u2019il m\u00e9rite une vraie d\u00e9fense.<\/span><\/p>\n

Apr\u00e8s plusieurs reports d\u2019audience, nos avocats ont enfin acc\u00e8s au dossier et peuvent assurer sa d\u00e9fense.<\/span><\/p>\n

Le 22 d\u00e9cembre 2021, l\u2019affaire est prise en d\u00e9lib\u00e9r\u00e9.<\/span>
<\/span>Le 22 mars 2022, le jugement tombe : <\/span>G\u00e9d\u00e9on est acquitt\u00e9.<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Il quitte enfin la prison de Makala le 12 avril 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Un cas parmi tant d'autres<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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G\u00e9d\u00e9on a retrouv\u00e9 la libert\u00e9.<\/span>
<\/span>Mais il n\u2019oubliera jamais ces deux ann\u00e9es vol\u00e9es. Deux ann\u00e9es de peur, d\u2019humiliation, d\u2019abandon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Son histoire est celle de <\/span>milliers de jeunes congolais,<\/b> arr\u00eat\u00e9s arbitrairement, priv\u00e9s de d\u00e9fense, enferm\u00e9s sans jugement.<\/span><\/p>\n

C\u2019est pour eux que nous nous battons chaque jour.<\/b>
<\/b>Pour que plus aucun citoyen congolais ne soit oubli\u00e9 derri\u00e8re les barreaux.<\/span>
<\/span>Et pour que plus personne ne soit jamais priv\u00e9 de sa dignit\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Soutenez nos actions<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Aidez-nous \u00e0 fournir de une aide juridique, un soutien psychosocial et \u00e0 restaurer la dignit\u00e9 de toutes les personnes incarc\u00e9r\u00e9es injustement.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRejoignez-nous<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On January 1st, 2020, as the city of Kinshasa quietly welcomed the new year, G\u00e9d\u00e9on\u2019s life changed forever. He was just 17 at the time. Orphaned at a young age, the youngest of six siblings, he is a construction worker on a site in the Gombe commune to make ends meet. That evening, around 8 p.m., he was walking home from work \u2014 tired, but relieved to have finished his shift. He didn\u2019t know it yet, but he wouldn\u2019t make it home that night. Just a few steps from his house, he came across a young man being chased by an angry crowd. The boy was caught and thrown to the ground. G\u00e9d\u00e9on, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, was arrested too. Without understanding why, he was beaten and taken to the police station. The next day, the victim of the assault \u2014 a military officer \u2014 came to the station. He clearly identified the man who had attacked him and confirmed that G\u00e9d\u00e9on was not present during the incident, which had taken place the previous night on the terrace of a restaurant. Still, both young men were transferred to the military prosecutor\u2019s office for questioning. A few days later, the real perpetrator\u2019s parents paid the military officer $300 in compensation and an additional $100 to secure their son\u2019s release. G\u00e9d\u00e9on had no one. No parents. No money. No one to speak on his behalf. On January 7th, he was transferred to Ndolo military prison. A few weeks later, on February 2nd, he was moved to Makala Prison. He would remain there for over two years, without trial, without an arrest warrant, and without ever seeing a judge. Our intervention In July 2021, following our intervention with the Kinkole Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office, a magistrate finally visited Makala Prison. There, he uncovered the shocking reality of G\u00e9d\u00e9on\u2019s situation: a completely unlawful detention, prolonged in total disregard of due process. On September 22nd, 2021, G\u00e9d\u00e9on was summoned to appear before the Kinshasa\/Gombe High Court. He was charged with assault and battery with extortion \u2014 a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He was asked to appear voluntarily, without legal representation. He refused. He knew he deserved a proper defense. After several delays, our lawyers were finally granted access to the case file and able to defend him in court. On December 22nd, 2021, the case enters in deliberation.On March 22nd, 2022, the verdict was announced: G\u00e9d\u00e9on is acquitted. He walked out of Makala Prison on April 12th, 2022. One story among thousands G\u00e9d\u00e9on is free now.But he will never forget those two stolen years \u2014 years filled with fear, humiliation, and abandonment. His story is just one among thousands of young Congolese who are arbitrarily arrested, denied legal defense, and left to languish in prison without trial. This is why we fight \u2014 every single day.So that no Congolese citizen is forgotten behind bars.And so that no one is ever stripped of their dignity. Support our work Help us provide legal aid, psychosocial support, and a path to dignity for those wrongfully imprisoned. Join us today<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-our-stories"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219.jpeg",1080,810,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219.jpeg",1080,810,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219.jpeg",1080,810,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219-300x225.jpeg",300,225,true],"large":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219-1024x768.jpeg",800,600,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219.jpeg",1080,810,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219.jpeg",1080,810,false],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-06-20-at-14.48.18-e1750448527219-16x12.jpeg",16,12,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Jessica","author_link":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/author\/wpusername7119\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Our stories<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"On January 1st, 2020, as the city of Kinshasa quietly welcomed the new year, G\u00e9d\u00e9on\u2019s life changed forever. He was just 17 at the time. Orphaned at a young age, the youngest of six siblings, he is a construction worker on a site in the Gombe commune to make ends meet. That evening, around 8\u2026","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1848"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1848\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1875,"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1848\/revisions\/1875"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vgy.031.myftpupload.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}