President Denis Sassou Nguesso has maintained nearly uninterrupted power for over 40 years by severely repressing the opposition. Corruption and decades of political instability have contributed to poor economic performance and high levels of poverty. Abuses by security forces are frequently reported and rarely investigated. While a variety of media operate, independent coverage is limited by widespread self-censorship and the influence of owners allied with the government. Human rights– and governance-related nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) scrutinize state abuses, but also self-censor to avoid reprisals.

• In March, a member of the National Assembly aligned with the governing majority, Aimé Hydevert Mouagni, was detained after criticizing widespread official corruption and the inability of the security services to address crime in the country’s major cities. Lawmakers voted in April to lift his parliamentary immunity, and he was charged with undermining national security, spreading false news, and illegal possession of weapons. In October, however, he was allowed to leave the country to seek medical treatment in Turkey.
• In April, Pascal Tsaty Mabiala, leader of the opposition Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), questioned some of the newly released results of the 2023 census, which would form the basis of the voter rolls for the 2026 presidential election. He said the data showed anomalous growth in some areas and possible undercounts in others. It remained unclear whether opposition parties would again call for an election boycott.
• The Sassou Nguesso family remained the subject of credible allegations of corruption during the year. In late March, the US Justice Department initiated an effort to seize a luxury apartment—in a New York City building owned by former US President Donald Trump—that had been purchased in 2014 for President Sassou Nguesso’s daughter; US officials said the purchase was part of a scheme to launder embezzled public funds from Congo. In May, an international consortium of journalists linked the Sassou Nguesso family to substantial real-estate holdings in Dubai.
• In late June, the NGO Action Center for Development (CAD) reported an increase in torture and other mistreatment by Congolese police, having documented 122 instances during the first half of 2024, compared with just 13 during the first half of 2023. Cases of arbitrary arrest and detention increased from 31 to 251 in the same period, according to the group.

This report has been abridged for Freedom in the World 2025 due to ongoing budget constraints. Freedom in the World is entirely funded by nongovernmental sources such as private foundations, corporations, and individuals like you. Please consider making a donation to support future editions of this vital resource.

For additional background information, see last year’s full report.