At least 66 soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been sentenced to death for cowardice, mutiny, and disobeying orders, according to local media reports. This decision follows a military trial involving 71 soldiers in Walikale, North Kivu province, where four were acquitted and one received a 10-year prison sentence. The military court’s actions are part of a broader effort to enforce discipline among troops engaged in ongoing conflicts with armed groups in the region.
The soldiers were arrested on October 20 after allegedly abandoning their posts during clashes with the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a coalition of rebel groups that includes the M23 faction. The DRC has faced decades of conflict, with government forces struggling against various armed groups, and the army’s effectiveness has been hampered by issues of discipline and organization.
The DRC government has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, a claim that both Kigali and the rebel group deny, despite what the DRC describes as substantial evidence. The Congolese army has been criticized for its lack of professionalism, and soldiers have reported issues such as inadequate pay and poor equipment, which contribute to low morale and operational effectiveness.
In a related development, last month, 27 soldiers were also sentenced to death for similar charges after reportedly retreating from the frontline during confrontations with rebels. The DRC lifted a 20-year moratorium on the death penalty in March 2024, citing the need to eliminate “traitors” within the military. The government indicated that capital punishment would extend to individuals involved in armed groups, insurrection, treason, and war crimes.
This reinstatement of the death penalty has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, although no executions have been carried out since the moratorium was lifted. Since the beginning of 2025, at least 507 soldiers have been convicted, with 381 receiving death sentences, according to data from French broadcaster RFI.
In a notable case, former President Joseph Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia in October 2025 on charges including war crimes and treason. Kabila, who has denied the allegations, did not appear in court to defend himself and has since been identified as the leader of the FRN.
As the DRC continues to grapple with internal conflict and military discipline issues, the recent sentences highlight the government’s attempts to assert control over its armed forces amid ongoing violence in the eastern regions.
For further details, see the report from BBC News.
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