Military Court Sentences 66 Soldiers to Death in Eastern DR Congo

A military tribunal in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced 66 soldiers to death after convicting them of cowardice, mutiny, and failure to obey orders. The court martial in Walikale, located in North Kivu province, tried a total of 71 service members following clashes with rebel forces in the region.

The court proceedings resulted in four acquittals, while one soldier received a ten-year prison term, local media reported. The accused troops were arrested on 20 October in Walikale after military prosecutors charged them with abandoning their frontline positions during combat against the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a rebel alliance that includes the M23 group. The Congolese armed forces stated that the trial was conducted to restore discipline within military ranks as operations against armed groups continue.

The sentences follow prior legal proceedings in the region, including the conviction of 27 soldiers who were sentenced to death last month on similar charges of fleeing frontline engagements. Figures compiled by French broadcaster RFI indicate that military courts have convicted at least 507 soldiers since the beginning of 2025, handing down 381 death sentences during that timeframe. In October 2025, former Congolese President Joseph Kabila was also sentenced to death in absentia on treason and war crime charges after being identified as the leader of the FRN alliance.

Kinshasa formally reinstated capital punishment in March 2024, bringing an end to a 20-year moratorium. At the time, government officials announced that the death penalty would apply to military treason, desertion, participation in armed rebellion, and war crimes. Human rights organisations expressed opposition to the reinstatement, though no official executions have been carried out since the moratorium was lifted.

Government forces in eastern DR Congo have engaged in decades of armed conflict against numerous militant factions, with Kinshasa repeatedly accusing neighbouring Rwanda of providing support to M23 rebels. Both Kigali and M23 leadership have consistently denied the allegations. Army personnel have frequently reported issues concerning delayed pay and inadequate military equipment, while military leadership faces external criticism regarding troop discipline and organisation during active operations.

Written by Martina Kirchner martina.kirchner@alpineweekly.com