Congolese LGBTQI+ Advocate Alphonse Mihigo Ombeni Assaulted Again After Radio Appearance in Bukavu

Alphonse Mihigo Ombeni, director and founder of the Congolese LGBTQI+ advocacy organization Action for the Fight Against Social Injustice (ALCIS), was once again the victim of a violent attack in Bukavu after speaking publicly about LGBTQI+ rights.

Ombeni was leaving FAN FM radio station on the evening of October 21 when he was assaulted and robbed near the Bukavu Pedagogical Institute, just steps away from his home. FAN FM is owned by Amani Ngubiri, a prominent member of parliament.

“I was heckled, then the attackers took my phone and the bag containing my computer. They hit me on the head,” Ombeni told Erasing 76 Crimes. “It wasn’t a simple robbery. I believe they recognized me, because there are people who want to see me destroyed as an activist for the rights of sexual and gender minorities.”

The incident marks the second time in less than a year that Ombeni has been targeted for his activism. In November 2024, he was assaulted near the same radio station shortly after criticizing the Congolese minister of justice for making homophobic remarks on air.

Ombeni’s latest appearance on FAN FM focused on the growing climate of fear faced by LGBTQI+ people in the region — a topic that continues to spark controversy amid the presence of M23 rebels, who have exerted control over parts of Bukavu since early 2025.

“The fact that Bukavu has been in the hands of M23 rebels since February makes the situation worse,” he said.

Despite his injuries, Ombeni chose not to file a police complaint, citing concerns for his safety.

“It’s not easy here,” he explained. “There could be reprisals. All it takes is for someone to pay a rebel to carry out a contract, and you’re dead.”

Local human rights defenders have rallied around Ombeni in response to the attack. ALCIS has reached out to several organizations, including the Congolese Initiative for Justice and Peace (ICJP), SOS Legal Information for Multiple Sectors (SOS LIMS), and Agir Ensemble pour les Droits Humains (AEDH), as well as international partners like Solidarité Internationale LGBTQI+.

Raphael Wakenge, coordinator of ICJP, visited Ombeni in the hospital and advised him to suspend his radio broadcasts for safety reasons.

Ombeni has long accused local churches of inciting hatred toward LGBTQI+ people. In July 2025, he publicly denounced Pastor Daniel Tchibo of the Rehema Church and a leader of the Sainte-Montagne Church in Ibanda for spreading anti-LGBT rhetoric on local radio programs.

“Local churches condemn LGBT+ people, and we are treated like witches,” Ombeni said.

Fearing further violence, Ombeni now believes his organization may need to relocate.

“It is likely that this violence will get the better of us and that we will have to move our offices to other locations,” he told Erasing 76 Crimes.

The attack highlights the worsening environment for human rights activists and sexual minorities in eastern Congo, where political instability and social intolerance continue to endanger those who speak out for equality.