DR Congo military court sentences 66 soldiers to death for cowardice and disobedience of orders

Mass sentencing in Goma

A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sentenced 66 soldiers to death, finding them guilty on three counts, including cowardice in the face of the enemy. This was reported by the Anadolu agency citing local media. The proceedings took place at the Goma Garrison Military Court in North Kivu province, with details provided by Radio Okapi, the UN radio station.

Circumstances of the case

According to Radio Okapi, more than 70 servicemen appeared before the court: four were acquitted and one was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The defendants were found guilty of 'mutiny, disobedience of orders and cowardice' in the face of the enemy. The convicted men serve in the 3415th regiment of the Congolese army; according to reports, they were detained on October 20 in Walikale territory, where they allegedly committed the said acts. The army stated that the trial was partly intended to strengthen discipline in the armed forces amid the security crisis in the east of the country.

Context: the second such action in a month

The verdict was not the only one of its kind in recent weeks: in October, a military court in the DR Congo had already sentenced 27 Congolese soldiers to death for 'cowardice' during a retreat from the front line in fighting against the AFC/M23 rebels. The trial of the new group of servicemen took place against the backdrop of ongoing clashes in the east of the country between the 'Refoundation of the Nation' (FRN) rebel coalition, which includes M23, and government forces, local sources note. Thus, in one month the courts handed down death sentences to a total of at least 93 servicemen — no information on the execution of the sentences or appeals is provided in the available publications.