A/HRC/42/2 Democratic Republic of the Congo has really taken off since 1999. Since then, a moratorium on the execution of the death penalty has been put in place, pending the Parliament’s debate on whether or not to abolish the death sentence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Thus, since 2003, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has embarked on the process of abolishing the death penalty, observing a de facto moratorium that runs until today. The Government has resolved, for its part, to leave the appreciation of this sensitive question to the parliamentarians. 448. As for the recommendations requesting the Democratic Republic of the Congo to extend a standing invitation to special procedure mandate holders, the Government reiterated its position adopted in previous cycles. In any case, the Government will consider the need for a visit and will take a stand if special circumstances require such visit. 449. With regard to the recommendation to take legal measures to protect religious minorities that would be supplemented by educational campaigns on the importance of freedom of religion or belief, the Government asserted that, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are no practices that discriminate against religious minorities compared to others. Freedom of worship and association is guaranteed and protected by the Constitution and laws of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 450. The head of delegation recalled that, since January 2017, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a member of the Human Rights Council. To this end, it has undertaken to behave in an exemplary manner in the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Under the leadership of the President of the Republic, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, the Government will ensure that the human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed and recognized to citizens are respected. 451. Despite the difficult political context that the Democratic Republic of the Congo has gone through since the last universal periodic review cycle, the Government is committed to working for the improvement of the human rights situation in the country by the adoption of several measures followed by policies, plans, programmes, strategies and actions. The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has also worked to restore, with the assistance of the international community, the peace and security necessary for the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the people. 452. The head of delegation, in the name of the President of the Republic and the Congolese people, thanked, through the Human Rights Council, the troop contributing countries to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He also paid respect to the memory of all those who, on behalf of the United Nations Force, lost their lives, after their commitment to the cause of peace, alongside the Congolese people. 453. Admittedly, much remains to be done to enable the great majority of fellow citizens to enjoy fully the rights and freedoms that are fundamentally guaranteed and recognized by national, regional and international human rights instruments. It is essential to recognize that significant efforts have been made so far in the last universal periodic review cycle, particularly in a number of areas and sectors of political, economic, social and cultural life. 454. This resulted in a significant improvement of the human rights normative framework in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the adoption of several legislative and regulatory measures and the establishment of structures to ensure the promotion and protection of the fundamental rights of its citizens. 455. The President of the Republic has, since his accession to the supreme office, ordered the release of several detainees and political prisoners, in order to ease the political climate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 456. The President of the Republic was personally involved in the strategy of the response to the Ebola virus disease, which has resurfaced in some provinces of the Republic. In 74