Congo Military Court Sentences 66 Soldiers to Death for Cowardice
The troops were tried for 12 days in Walikale after fleeing fighting with rebels. Amnesty International called the decision "heartless."
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced 66 soldiers to death for cowardice, refusing to obey orders, mutiny and squandering ammunition, according to local media reports cited by CBS News.
The soldiers were tried for 12 days at a military court in the town of Walikale, in eastern North Kivu province, Radio Okapi reported. Four other defendants were acquitted and one was given a 10-year prison sentence. Military authorities said the aim of the trial was to boost discipline in the ranks.
The troops were arrested on Oct. 20 and accused of fleeing fighting with fighters from the FRN, according to CBS News' partner network BBC News. Congo's armed forces have long been accused of poor discipline, while soldiers have complained about low pay and inadequate equipment.
The verdict is not the first of its kind. In early October, 27 other Congolese government soldiers were sentenced to death for cowardice, Radio Okapi reported. A tally by Radio France Internationale counts 381 Congolese soldiers sentenced to death since the start of 2025.
Congolese authorities reintroduced the death penalty in March 2024, saying it was needed to fight what they called treason and terrorism in the east. Before that, Congo had a moratorium on executions that dated back to 2003.
Amnesty International condemned the sentences. "Whether those who have been sentenced to death are in the national army or police, in armed groups or have been involved in gang violence, everyone has a right to life and for that right to be protected," said Tigere Chagutah, the group's regional director for East and Southern Africa. "This heartless decision will endanger the lives of hundreds of people who have been sentenced to death, including those who were put on death row following unfair trials and politically motivated charges."
The fighting in the east is the backdrop. The United Nations, many Western governments and Congo have long accused neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group in order to control and exploit Congo's vast mineral wealth. The U.N. warned last year that M23 fighters were carrying out summary executions and mass rape as they advanced.
Congo is also dealing with an Ebola outbreak that has passed 11,000 cases, a separate crisis that has strained the same eastern provinces. For the soldiers in Walikale, the sentences are expected to be appealed, though the report did not say whether any executions have been scheduled.
