DR Congo military court sentences at least 66 soldiers to death

A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced at least 66 soldiers to death for cowardice, mutiny and refusing to obey orders, the BBC said, citing local media. Of the 71 soldiers tried in Walikale, in eastern North Kivu province, 4 were acquitted and one received a 10-year prison sentence.

The ruling follows DR Congo’s decision in March 2024 to lift a 20-year moratorium on the death penalty. The government said it needed to remove “traitors” from the army. No formal executions have been carried out since the moratorium was lifted.

The trial and the fighting

The Goma Garrison Military Court delivered its first-instance verdict on 6 November after a 12-day trial. In a statement cited by ACP, the 34th Military Region said the defendants belonged to the army’s 3415th Regiment and were arrested in Ngora on 20 October. The soldiers were accused of abandoning their positions and fleeing during clashes with fighters from the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation.

The front is a rebel coalition that includes M23 and is fighting government forces in a region affected by decades of conflict. The army said the trial was intended to improve discipline among troops fighting armed groups. Poor discipline and disorganization have undermined its campaign, while soldiers have complained about poor pay and inadequate equipment.

The soldier given the prison sentence was a sergeant who received substantial mitigating consideration, the military statement said. An intelligence chief in the regiment, a captain, was among those acquitted.