Congo Military Court Sentences 66 Soldiers to Death for Cowardice and Mutiny

Kinshasa: A military court in North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has sentenced 66 soldiers to death on charges of cowardice, mutiny and disobeying orders. According to reports published in local media, a total of 71 soldiers stood trial before the military court in the Walikale area. The court acquitted four soldiers of all charges, while another was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Military officials said the main purpose of the trial and the severe sentences was to strengthen discipline and the chain of command within the armed forces during operations against armed groups active in the country's eastern regions. In the affected area, Congolese government forces are engaged in fierce fighting against the rebel coalition known as the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), which includes the prominent M23 group.

According to reports, the convicted soldiers were arrested on October 20 in Walikale after allegedly abandoning their defensive positions and fleeing during intense clashes with rebel forces. Military campaigns against M23 and several other armed groups operating in eastern Congo have long been hampered by a lack of internal discipline and poor management within the armed forces. The Congolese government has repeatedly accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting M23. However, the Kigali government and the rebel group have denied these allegations, although independent evidence points to Rwanda's involvement.

Meanwhile, the Congolese army has faced criticism over its lack of professionalism, while military personnel have also complained about low salaries and inadequate military equipment. It is worth noting that similar proceedings against soldiers have continued in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Last month, 27 soldiers were also sentenced to death on charges of cowardice and retreating from the battlefield. In March 2024, the Congolese government lifted a 20-year moratorium on the death penalty, citing the need to eliminate traitors from the ranks of the armed forces. The government announced that capital punishment would apply to members of armed groups and individuals convicted of mutiny, treason and war crimes.

Although the decision was strongly criticised by international human rights organizations, no death sentence has officially been carried out since the moratorium was lifted. According to figures from French broadcaster RFI, 507 soldiers have been sentenced for various offences since the beginning of 2025, including 381 who received death sentences. Among the prominent figures sentenced to death is former Congolese President Joseph Kabila, who was sentenced in absentia in October 2025 on charges of war crimes and treason. Kabila rejected all the allegations and did not appear in court. He was subsequently designated as the leader of the FRN rebel coalition.