The key facts
- 66 servicemen sentenced to death, one sergeant to 10 years, four acquitted
- Verdict announced on November 6 in Walikale, North Kivu province
- The trial is explained by the command's attempt to strengthen discipline amid fighting with the M23 group
Mass verdict by a military court
A military court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sentenced 66 servicemen to death for cowardice in the face of the enemy, disobedience of orders and military mutiny. The report was published by Life.ru citing the Anadolu agency. The verdict was announced late in the evening of November 6 in the city of Butembo (Walikale) in North Kivu province, in the east of the country, where fighting between government forces and rebels continues.
Who stood trial
The defendants were servicemen of the 3415th Infantry Regiment of the Congolese army, detained after incidents in the area where combat operations were underway. The first detentions took place on October 20 in the settlement of Ngora: initially 54 servicemen were under investigation, but the number of defendants later grew. According to local media, the case is linked to violations of military discipline in the Walikale area. The trial lasted 12 days.
Outcome of the trial and context
In addition to the 66 death sentences, one sergeant received ten years of imprisonment taking mitigating circumstances into account, and four servicemen were acquitted — including a captain who led the regiment's reconnaissance. The Congolese command explained the holding of the trial by the need to strengthen discipline in the army against the backdrop of the difficult situation in the eastern provinces, where government units are confronting armed groups, including the March 23 Movement (M23). Thus, the verdicts became not only a punishment for specific servicemen but also a public signal to the army amid ongoing fighting — however, as the source notes, the publication does not report on the carrying out of the sentences or on any appeals.
