The police raid against the group in the Kongo Central town of Songololo on April 22 resulted in 15 deaths and the raid on April 24 on Nsemi's Kinshasa residence killed at least 33 people.

Human Rights Watch interviewed by phone more than 50 people, including victims of abuses and witnesses, BDK members, hospital staff, government and United Nations officials, human rights activists, and journalists.

On April 12, Nsemi, a former member of parliament and self-proclaimed "president of the Federal Republic of Kongo Central," published a new installment of his regular newsletter called "Kongo Dieto," or "Our Kongo" in Kikongo, the language spoken by the Bakongo people, the main ethnic group in Kongo Central.

For weeks, he had been requesting, in writing and in video statements, the payment of his parliamentary allowance, the release of BDK members from prison, and the appointment of native Bakongo people in administrative positions in the Kongo Central province, among other demands.

In Kongo Central, immediately after the raid, the police arbitrarily arrested and beat several BDK members.