Congo executes 102 'city bandits', 70 more are to follow

Von WOM

Last week, 102 men were executed by the government in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Dr Congo). According to a statement by the Minister of Justice, another 70 executions are imminent on Sunday, as reported by the Associated Press news agency.

background of the executions

The executed men, aged 18 to 35, were identified as armed robbers and "urban bandits", known locally as Kulunas. The executions took place in the pleasure of pleasure in the northwest of Congo. Of the 102 men, 45 were already executed at the end of December, while the remaining 57 were killed within the last 48 hours.

status of the next executions

A group of 70 other prisoners from Kinshasa has now arrived in the pleasure of pleasure, but the government has so far not made any statement on the current status of these occupants.

Additional information from the government

Minister of Justice Mutamba, who monitors the executions, said late Sunday that "the third row of executions is already going on while the first two have already been carried out." These measures have created split opinions among the population.

reactions from the population

The government's decision to reintroduce the death penalty is evaluated differently. While some consider the measure necessary to restore order and security in the cities, other concerns about possible abuse and violations of human rights say. Fiston Kakule, a resident of the eastern city of Goma, expressed: "We welcome this decision of the minister because it will help combat urban crime. From 8:00 p.m. you can no longer move freely because you are afraid to meet a Kuluna."

concerns of human rights activists

The human rights activist Espoir Muhinuka warned of the risk of extrajudicial executions and called for a strict respect for the judicial procedures and basic guarantees. He fears that political pressure could lead to unjust convictions and arbitrary executions. "The situation in the DRC is complex and requires a multidimensional approach. The fight against urban gangs has to go hand in hand with the efforts, poverty, unemployment and social exclusion that often lead to crime," he said.

The death penalty in the DRC

The death penalty is a sensitive topic in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country abolished the death penalty in 1981, but reintroduced it in 2006. The last execution took place in 2003, but in March 2024 the Congolese government announced the resumption of death penalties, which at that time initially applied for military members in the event of high treason.

Current judgments against military members

In May, eight soldiers were sentenced to death because they had left the battlefield, and in July 25 other soldiers were convicted of similar offenses. So far, no executions of these soldiers have become known.