Zaida Catalán

Humanitarian Expert for the United Nations Security Council Group of Experts on the DRC.

[Zaida Catalán @zcatalan]

Why were UN experts Zaida Catalán and Michael Sharp killed?

In March 2017, Zaida and Michael travelled to Kasai under a United Nations mandate to investigate escalating violence and allegations of serious human rights abuses.

Nine years later, the appeal verdict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo confirmed that their murders were the result of a conspiracy. But many crucial questions remain unanswered.

Why were they targeted? Who benefited from their deaths? Who ordered the operation? And why was the investigation they were conducting never continued after they were killed?

Evidence presented during the proceedings raised troubling questions about what their presence in Kasai might have revealed and whether the murders were intended not only to eliminate investigators, but also to influence how the conflict was understood by the international community.

The verdict is an important step toward accountability, but it is not the end of the search for the truth.

We will continue to seek answers.

Truth. Accountability. Justice.

#JusticeForZaida #JusticeForMichaelSharp #Kasai #DRC #HumanRights

[Madame Susanne @Susanne30521946]

Svar från Erik Weiman, facebook på Lisa Magnussons artikel:

"Dagens artikel i DN om människorättsaktivisten och frihetskämpen - på riktigt! - Zaida Catalán gör mig fullkomligt rasande flera gånger om.

Först av allt: skribenten Lisa Magnusson skriver, uppenbarligen på fullt allvar: "Hon var en idealist, med starkt patos, och kämpade för rättvisa – just en sådan där person som sarkastiskt beskyllts för naivitet och godhetssignalering under det senaste decenniet".

Att jämföra Catalán med somliga - inga namn! - av dagens milt talat postmodernt influerade posörer är inget annat än ett hån och en misskreditering av Catalán. Hon reste till Kongo på officiellt uppdrag av FN med syftet att utreda verkliga krigsbrott och återkomma med material som kunde leda till en objektiv sanning. För den lidelsen, parat med viljan att söka svar som höll, oavsett ideologisk grundsyn, står Catalán självklart på en helt annan nivå än de naiva och självtillräckliga "godhetssökare" som Magnusson har mage att sänka henne till.

Vidare: Krigen i Centralafrika hör till de vidrigaste uttrycken för mänsklighetens sämsta sidor. Där saknas det mesta av konventionella idépolitiska skiljelinjer, och eftersom det inte heller finns någon fungerande rättsstat, så finns litet, om ens något, hopp att konflikten ska upphöra. Det är där verkliga filantroper finner sin gärning. Människor som Albert Schweitzer, Denis Mukwege - och Zaida Catalán. Att skribenter som Lisa Magnusson drar ner sådana namn till nivån av dagens naiva godhetssignalerare är en skymf mot dessa hjältar.

För det tredje: Majoriteten av dagens geopolitiska konflikter, såväl ideologiska som realpolitiska, är en kamp för de västerländskt grundade värderingar om humanitet och föreställningar om subjektivt grundade föreställningar om människors lika rättigheter förenade med ett såväl kollektivt som individuellt ansvar för det gemensamma bästa som få så kallade aktivister ens har en aning om vad de innebär. I bästa fall är de vad deras andlige förfader Vladimir Uljanov (mer känd som Lenin) kallade "nyttiga idioter". I värsta fall är de väldigt mycket av det förra (från upphovsmannen Lenins och hans efterföljares perspektiv) och ännu mer sv det senare (från ett allmänmänskligt perspektiv). Det är nämligen mot Uljanov och hans numera synnerligen postmoderna och värderelativistiska proselyter som kampen står.

Med andra ord, och lite kortare: jämför inte Zaida Catalán, som offrade sitt liv för Kongos oskyldiga civilbefolkning, med båtresenärer som frihetsberövas av en demokratisk rättsstat (om än med skavanker) med syftet att vara just nyttiga idioter åt den vidriga teokratiska regimrn Iran och deras proxykrigare i Hamas, Hizbollah och Hutu.

Catalán stod vad jag vet långt från mig ideologiskt, och jag vill inte låna hennes fjädrar. Det borde även dagens fegt lättsinniga vänster hålla sig för god för."

https://t.co/6jLZvF3rUA

[Venance Kalenga @venance_kalenga]

La Dynamique Justice–État de Droit (DYJED) estime que l’arrêt du 05 juin de la Haute Cour Militaire relatif au meurtre de Michael Sharp et Zaida Catalan, ne doit pas mettre fin aux recherches des fugitifs et des accompagnateurs introuvables afin de garantir une justice complète.

[Svenska Dagbladet @SvD]

Nyligen dömdes en militär ledare till döden efter mordet på Zaida Catalán. För hennes syster och mamma som väntat i nio år på att ansvariga ska ställas till svars väcker domen nytt hopp – men inte enbart. ”Zaida var emot dödsstraff.”

https://t.co/eVTTFPb1On

[Zaida Catalán @zcatalan]

Comment by Paul Nahmias, former investigator with the UN Follow-On Mechanism (FOM) on the appeal verdict in the murders of UN experts Zaida Catalán and Michael Sharp:

FARDC Colonel Jean de Dieu Mambweni Lutete has been convicted of the war crime of murder for orchestrating the assassinations of Zaida Catalan and Michael J Sharp, both of them UN Experts and consummate professionals in their field. Accusations against their professionalism in the early days of this investigation were nothing short of slanderous.

Whatever you think you know about this case based on media reports, various leaks of irrelevant material from irrelevant protagonists outside the investigation team, let me assure you that you know very little.

This was a very very well crafted conspiracy. To its credit, in 2017 the United Nations swiftly set up a small team of experienced criminal investigators, plucked an accomplished war crimes prosecutor to lead it, and sent it to DRC to let it do its thing without interference. Quietly.

It took almost nine years because the team was tiny, with several members continuing to assist pro bono; the resources were limited; there were thousands of individuals, hundreds of witnesses and scores of suspects; the terrain was not exactly welcoming, and something happened in 2020 which stalled progress for a considerable length of time. Briefing new team members took months because you don’t just walk into a case like this and understand it from a few pages of notes.

Conspiracies and unprovable narratives abounded during the first instance trial, and again during the rehearing on appeal. Col Jean de Dieu Mambweni Lutete had been acquitted of the murders in the first instance verdict, only to have his acquittal overturned on appeal and a death sentence imposed. This aspect alone troubles many of us, however we take note that DRC has not actually carried out an execution for over 20 years, with most convictions eventually being commuted to life imprisonment.

Courts don’t convict on rumour. The conviction of a senior military officer by the High Military Court required irrefutable evidence, corroborated by yet more evidence, that purely exposed the defendant’s guilt, not accusations based on proximity or mere suspicion frequently published by various news agencies of Europe. Institutions in conflict environments don’t habitually prosecute their own people, let alone convict them. Working together, the UN team and a select group of Congolese counterparts achieved a measure of justice that very few expected.

Questions indeed remain, but this is a massive step forward. I credit the President of the FARDC High Military Court for his remarks on Colonel Mambweni’s conviction and sentence. I hope the families of the victims can pause and take a breath of relief that some justice has been served, before efforts eventually resume.

No one harms UN personnel with impunity. You will be hunted down, even if it takes nine years.

[John Sharp @jsharp51]

Dossier Michael Sharp et Zaida Catalán : Le CNDH dénonce un flou qui demeure sur le supplice des experts de l’ONU  https://t.co/09WrlLgcIl ael-sharp-et-zaida-catalan-le-cndh-denonce-un-flou-qui-demeure-sur-le-supplice-des-experts-de-lonu/

[AfriWave Info Officiel @AfriwaveInfo]

Dossier Michael Sharp et Zaida Catalán : Le CNDH dénonce un flou qui demeure sur le supplice des experts de l’ONU https://t.co/VR0NZ0U8Tk

[Reuters Africa @ReutersAfrica]

A Congolese military court has sentenced an army colonel to death for taking part in a conspiracy to murder two U.N. experts in central Congo nearly a decade ago, in a case that continues to raise questions about state involvement. https://t.co/3c1POPkEgr

[Zaida Catalán @zcatalan]

https://t.co/BjglcmRf6p

[RFI Afrique @RFIAfrique]

RDC: peines alourdies en appel dans l’affaire des experts de l’ONU assassinés au Kasaï https://t.co/J7uxfydSxd

[Ann Linde @AnnLinde]

Finally accountability for the killing of the Swedish UN-expert Zaida Catalán and Michael Sharp. A colonel in the Congolese army has been sentenced to death. The pic shows the memorial piece in UN HQ in NY. May she rest in peace.

[Richie Lontulungu @MrLontulungu]

@soniarolley @zcatalan @SharpMusings Double meurtre des experts de l'ONU #ZaidaCatalan #MichaelSharp : l'ACDDVDH prend acte du verdict final rendu par la Haute Cour militaire et demande la tenue d'un nouveau procès, inclusif, impliquant toutes les personnes citées dans les enquêtes officielles et indépendantes.

[Ambassadeur de Suède en RDC Joakim Vaverka @SweAmbDRC]

(2/2) Près de dix ans plus tard, il s’agit d’une étape importante pour la vérité et la justice pour les victimes et leurs familles. La Suède a souligné l’importance d’un procès équitable, où toutes les preuves sont prises en compte, et s’oppose fermement à la peine de mort.

[Ambassadeur de Suède en RDC Joakim Vaverka @SweAmbDRC]

(1/2) Hier, j’étais présent à la Haute Cour militaire à Kinshasa pour le jugement rendu dans l’affaire concernant les meurtres de Zaida Catalán (Suède), Michael Sharp (USA) et Betu Shintela (RDC), alors qu’ils travaillaient comme experts de l’ONU et interprète local en 2017.

[Sonia Rolley @soniarolley]

#RDC #UN : la haute cour militaire condamne le colonel Mambweni et consorts à la peine de mort pour le meurtre des experts de l'ONU au Kasai @zcatalan et @SharpMusings. Une condamnation importante mais pas suffisante, c’est l’arbre qui cache la forêt https://t.co/qcIEKz5V1N

[Sonia Rolley @soniarolley]

.
#RDC #UN : « Bien que la décision rendue auj constitue une avancée importante, des questions essentielles demeurent sans réponse. Nous espérons que le processus se poursuivra jusqu’à ce que toute la vérité soit établie » - La famille Catalán-Morseby https://t.co/qcIEKz5V1N

[Maria M Stenergard @MariaStenergard]

I dag har dom meddelats för morden på svenska Zaida Catalán, amerikanen Michael Sharp och Betu Shintela från DRK. De mördades 2017 när de arbetade som FN-experter och lokal tolk i DRK. Det är svårt att finna ord för att beskriva dessa brott, mot människor som bara ville göra gott. Nästan 10 år senare är detta ett viktigt steg för att säkerställa rättvisa för offren och deras familjer. Sverige har löpande framfört till kongolesiska myndigheter vikten av en rättssäker process, inklusive rätten till en rättvis rättegång, där all tillgänglig information och bevisning tas i beaktande. Sverige motsätter sig starkt användningen av dödsstraff under alla omständigheter, utan undantag.

[Maria M Stenergard @MariaStenergard]

Today, the judgement has been issued in the case concerning the murders of Zaida Catalán from Sweden, Michael Sharp from the US and Betu Shintela from the DRC while working as UN experts and local interpreter in the DRC in 2017. It is hard to find words to describe these crimes, against people who only wanted to do good. Almost 10 years later, this is an important step for truth and justice for the victims and their families. Sweden has continuously raised with the Congolese authorities the importance of due process, where the right to a fair trial is respected and all available information and evidence is considered. Sweden strongly opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, without exception.

[Maria Morseby @MariaMorseby]

https://t.co/AnTFFHMTa3

[Zaida Catalán @zcatalan]

Statement from Zaida Catalán’s Family

Today’s verdict is an important step toward accountability and justice for the murders of Zaida Catalán and Michael Sharp.

For many years, our family has maintained that Zaida and Michael were likely targeted because of the work they carried out as United Nations experts. The verdict therefore represents a significant acknowledgment that their deaths were not a random consequence of the conflict, but the result of a conspiracy.

At the same time, we wish to emphasize that we oppose the death penalty. Our pursuit has never been about retribution, but about truth, accountability, and justice.

We hope that this verdict will now open the door to further examination of the full chain of responsibility behind the murders, including any individuals at higher levels who may have had knowledge of, participated in, or facilitated the conspiracy.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the UN Follow-on Mechanism (FOM), Uppdrag granskning, and all the investigators, journalists, and human rights defenders who have worked tirelessly over the years to uncover the truth.

Our thoughts are also with the Congolese colleagues who disappeared alongside Zaida and Michael, as well as the many innocent people in Kasai who lost their lives during the conflict. We hope that today’s verdict will contribute not only to justice for Zaida and Michael, but also to greater truth, accountability, and recognition for all the victims and families affected by the violence in Kasai.

While today’s decision marks an important step forward, important questions remain unanswered. We hope that the process will continue until the full truth has been established.

The Catalán-Morseby Family