EU General Court Dismisses 10 Challenges to DRC Sanctions

The European Union General Court dismissed the applications of 10 Democratic Republic of the Congo nationals to drop their 2019 sanctions relistings, in 10 opinions Sept. 15. The European Council's reasoning for the relistings was sufficient to allow the DRC nationals to challenge the validity of the acts, the court held. The EC also guaranteed their right to be heard by taking the applicants' observations and providing specific explanations, the court said. Even if the applicants were no longer DRC officials, the court said that the EC established enough of a link between the human rights situation in the DRC and the applicants.The orders concerned the applications of Jean-Claude Kazembe Musonda, Alex Kande Mupompa, Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo, Kalev Mutondo, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, Eric Ruhorimbere, Gabriel Amisi Kumba, Evariste Boshab, John Numbi and Celestin Kanyama.