A military Court Martial in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has sentenced 66 soldiers to death for cowardice, mutiny and disobeying orders after they were accused of abandoning their positions during clashes with rebel fighters in the country’s conflict-ravaged eastern region.
The sentences were handed down by the Goma Garrison Military Court following the trial of 71 soldiers in Walikale, North Kivu Province.
Four soldiers were acquitted, while another defendant, a military intelligence officer, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, blueprint reports.
The soldiers were reportedly arrested on October 20 after allegedly abandoning their positions and fleeing during confrontations with fighters operating under the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a rebel coalition that includes the March 23 Movement (M23) and Alliance River Congo (AFC).
According to reports, prosecutors had sought the death penalty for 70 of the defendants, while requesting a 10-year prison term for the intelligence office.
*Army seeks to enforce discipline
The Congolese army said the trial was intended to strengthen discipline within its ranks as government forces continue to battle armed groups in the eastern provinces.
Major Dieudonné Kasereka, the army’s communications officer in the affected region, said the charges were necessary to reinforce discipline among troops operating in North Kivu and South Kivu.
The latest verdict comes amid longstanding concerns over the operational effectiveness of the Congolese military, with allegations of poor coordination, indiscipline and disorganisation affecting its campaign against armed groups.
Some soldiers have also raised concerns about inadequate equipment and poor remuneration, even as they face sustained fighting in the country’s mineral-rich eastern region
*M23 conflict and regional tensions
The eastern DR Congo has endured years of conflict involving government forces and several armed groups, including M23, which operates as part of the broader FRN coalition.
The Congolese government has repeatedly accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting M23, an allegation Kigali and the rebel group have denied.
The fighting has contributed to widespread insecurity, displacement and humanitarian challenges across parts of North and South Kivu.
The latest sentences also come against the background of renewed rebel advances and continuing clashes in the region, which have put additional pressure on government forces.
*Death penalty reinstated in 2024
DR Congo reinstated the death penalty in March 2024, ending a moratorium that had been in place for about two decades.
The government defended the decision as part of efforts to tackle treason and other serious security-related offences, including alleged betrayal within the armed forces.
However, the use of capital punishment has attracted criticism from human rights organisations, which have raised concerns about the fairness of military trials and the risk of wrongful convictions.
Amnesty International has previously warned that the country’s justice system faces serious shortcomings and that trials do not always meet fair-trial standards.
The latest cases add to a growing number of Congolese military personnel sentenced to death for offences connected to the conflict. Reports indicate that another 27 soldiers received death sentences in October for allegedly abandoning frontline positions during clashes with rebel forces.
A tally cited by Radio France Internationale put the number of Congolese soldiers sentenced to death since the beginning of 2025 at 381. (Blueprint)
