Death sentences for 66 soldiers: Congo court cites cowardice, mutiny after they allegedly fled fighting with rebels
Court issues sentences
The military court in Walikale, in North Kivu province, sentenced 66 soldiers to death, according to local media reports. The charges included cowardice, disobeying orders, mutiny and wasting ammunition.
The trial lasted 12 days. Four other defendants were acquitted, while one received a 10-year prison sentence, Radio Okapi reported.
Arrests followed combat
The soldiers were arrested on Oct. 20 after allegations they had fled fighting with fighters from the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, or FRN, according to BBC News, a CBS News partner.
Congolese forces have fought armed groups in the resource-rich east for decades. Those groups include M23 and the FRN coalition.
Death sentences draw concern
Radio Okapi reported that 27 other Congolese government soldiers were sentenced to death in early October. Since the start of 2025, 381 Congolese soldiers have received death sentences, according to Radio France Internationale's tally.
Amnesty regional director for East and Southern Africa Tigere Chagutah said those sentenced retain a right to life. She warned the decision could put hundreds at risk, including people whose trials were unfair or whose charges were politically motivated. The United Nations, many Western governments and the Democratic Republic of Congo have long accused neighboring Rwanda of supporting M23 to control and exploit Congo's mineral wealth.
Key points
- A military court sentenced 66 soldiers to death after a 12-day trial in Walikale.
- Four defendants were acquitted, and one received a 10-year prison term.
- The soldiers were arrested after allegedly fleeing combat with FRN fighters.
- A tally by Radio France Internationale puts 2025 death sentences for Congolese soldiers at 381.