Political and security tensions are escalating in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As journalists, activists, and human rights defenders document abuses on the front line, both their lives and those of victims are at risk.

In such high-risk environments, secure communication and digital safety reduce deadly mistakes. However, jumping between isolated tools (untrusted VPNs, common end-to-end encrypted messaging apps, email clients, online password managers, etc) leaves fragmented metadata, timestamps, and app footprints. State surveillance can reconstruct this information to map activists’ networks.

Given these evolving threats and the limitations of isolated security tools, it is clear that front-line defenders and journalists in this post-Snowden era require ultimate security, especially when working on revelations (next leaks), handling untrusted documents, or conducting confidential communications.

#Techshield: our approach for ultimate protection of frontline defenders

On April 15, 2026, Bingwa Civic Tech Lab hosted a digital security training for journalists, activists, and human rights defenders working in the Beni region, focusing on the portable Debian-based operating system Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System).

During the session, attendees learned the basics of digital security for high-risk environments. They also explored use cases for Tails OS apps: Thunderbird for emails, LibreOffice for documents, KeePassXC for password management, Metadata Cleaner, and Cleopatra for PGP keys.

Each participant received a copy of Tails OS on a USB drive. They learned how to boot different computers from the USB and configure persistent storage. This helps them get the most out of Tails OS as a “portable computer.”

Importantly, with Tails OS, digital security tools are not isolated, leaving no app footprints, and internet traffic goes directly through the Tor network, which encrypts and anonymises the connection by passing it through three relays.

Now more than ever, frontline defenders and journalists require the highest level of security when handling sensitive information. In DRC’s political turmoil, where human rights violations are rampant, this is crucial. At Bingwa Civic Tech Lab, we believe those advancing human rights need ultimate security, free of charge. That is why we rely on open-source technologies to protect frontline defenders and help safeguard human dignity.

For the past two years, Bingwa Civic Tech Lab has partnered with local Civil Society Organisations and HRDs to enhance their digital resilience, both individually and organisationally, through capacity building, technical support, and tailored digital security strategies.

To learn more about the activities we have conducted under the #TechShield for Human Rights Defenders program at Bingwa Civic Tech Lab, visit: http://bingwa-civic.tech/en/post-filter/TechShield

This article was first published on Bingwa Civic Tech Lab on 16 April, 2026