Gen. Jean-de-Dieu Oleko told the Associated Press Saturday that several police officers were arrested late Friday. The arrests were part of a preliminary investigation into the death of Floribert Chebeya Bahizire. He would not give further detail on those arrested.

The body of Bahizire, head of Voix des Sans Voix, or Voice of the Voiceless, was found in his car Wednesday in a suburb of Congo's capital. The rights group, one of the largest in Congo, said he appeared to have been strangled.

A group of Congolese and international organizations Saturday called for an independent inquiry into the killing.