Congo sentences 66 soldiers to death for abandoning positions during fighting

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 66 soldiers were sentenced to death after being found guilty of cowardice, mutiny and disobeying military orders.

The cases of 71 soldiers were heard together by a military court in Walikale, in North Kivu province in the east of the country. In addition to the 66 sentenced to death, four were acquitted and one received a 10-year prison sentence.

Military authorities accuse those convicted of abandoning their positions and fleeing during clashes with armed groups in the eastern part of the country. They had been arrested on October 20.

The ruling comes as the Congolese army faces difficulties in its fight against armed groups, including the M23 rebels. Problems with discipline, organization and military equipment have also been reported within its ranks.

After a moratorium of about 20 years, the Democratic Republic of the Congo resumed the use of the death penalty in 2024. The government justified the move as necessary to combat treason and desertion in the army.

Figures published by RFI show that, since the beginning of 2025, at least 507 soldiers have been sentenced, 381 of them to death. So far, however, no official execution has been carried out.