custodian of the child, was unconstitutional; the provision was repealed. However, joint adoptions by LGBTI couples in a same-sex registered partnership, where both partners would then have full parental rights, remained prohibited. WOMEN’S RIGHTS In May, the Czech Republic signed the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, with the intention of ratifying it by mid-2018. In March, the CEDAW Committee noted the low number of gender discrimination lawsuits filed in the country and recommended the introduction of a free legal aid system for such proceedings. The Committee also expressed concern about the continued gender pay gap of approximately 21%, the third highest in the EU. DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Democratic Republic of the Congo Head of state: Joseph Kabila Head of government: Samy Badibanga Ntita (replaced Augustin Matata Ponyo Mapon in November) The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) experienced political unrest during the year with protests over the end of President Kabila’s mandate. Demonstrations were met with excessive use of force by security agents as well as violations of the rights to freedom of expression, of association and of peaceful assembly. Armed conflicts continued in the east: armed groups committed numerous abuses against civilians, including summary executions, killings, abductions, acts of sexual violence and looting of property; and security forces carried out extrajudicial executions and other human rights Amnesty International Report 2016/17 violations. Both the armed forces and the UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO (UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC) were unable to protect civilians adequately. BACKGROUND Political disagreement over whether President Kabila could stay in office after his second term ended on 19 December triggered numerous protests. In March, the National Independent Electoral Commission announced that the elections could not be held within the constitutional timeframe. In May, the Constitutional Court ruled that the President could remain in office beyond 19 December until his successor was in place. In October, it ruled again that the presidential elections could be deferred. The opposition and civil society questioned the legality of the second judgment as it was issued by five judges instead of the seven required by law. An agreement following a dialogue led by the AU that deferred the elections to April 2018 was rejected by the majority of the political opposition, civil society and youth movements. On 31 December, following mediation by the Catholic Church, a new agreement was signed by representatives of the majority coalition, the opposition and civil society organizations. The agreement included commitments that President Kabila would not stand for a third term and that elections would be held by the end of 2017. The political uncertainty contributed to increasing tensions in the east of the DRC, which remained beset by armed conflict. Heightened intercommunal and ethnic tensions in the prolonged pre-electoral period, coupled with weak administrative and security responses, fuelled violence and recruitment into armed groups. The joint DRC armed forces-MONUSCO operation “Sokola 2” continued efforts to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) – an armed group based in eastern DRC comprising Rwandan Hutus linked to the 1994 Rwanda genocide. The operation failed to capture FDLR commander Sylvestre Mudacumura. 137