Summary
A military court in Walikale, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, sentenced 66 soldiers to death on charges including cowardice, mutiny, refusing orders and wasting ammunition. The trial followed their arrest after they were accused of fleeing clashes with Front for the Refoundation of the Nation fighters; four others were acquitted and one received a 10-year prison sentence.
Key Facts
- The soldiers spent 12 days on trial in Walikale, North Kivu province, according to Radio Okapi.
- Military authorities said the trial aimed to strengthen discipline in the armed forces.
- The soldiers were arrested on Oct. 20 after being accused of fleeing fighting with FRN fighters, the BBC reported.
- In early October, 27 other Congolese soldiers were sentenced to death, Radio Okapi reported.
- The Democratic Republic of Congo reinstated the death penalty in March 2024 for offenses including treason within the armed forces, according to Amnesty International.
- Amnesty International has criticized the country’s justice system, saying trials rarely meet fair-trial standards.
- Radio France Internationale reported that 381 Congolese soldiers had been sentenced to death since the start of 2025.
- The Congolese army has fought armed groups in the country’s east for decades, including M23 and FRN. The United Nations and others have accused Rwanda of backing M23.
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