Kinshasa - The DR Congo government intends to end a 20-year moratorium on capital punishment for soldiers guilty of treason in the conflict against M23 rebels, according to a Cabinet report.

Death sentences are regularly handed down by courts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but they have been systematically commuted to life in jail since a 2003 moratorium on capital punishment.

The justice minister on Friday submitted a note to Cabinet about “lifting the moratorium on the death sentence” for the military, government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said.

At a CSD defence council meeting in Kinshasa yesterday, discussions centred on treason in the military and security services.

“With the aim of ending it (treason), the CSD requested the head of state “to lift the moratorium ... at a time when the country is facing aggression from Rwanda”, which denies accusations of backing the M23.

After years of dormancy, the M23 (March 23 Movement) took up arms again in late 2021, and has since seized vast swathes of Nord Kivu province.

After a lull around the 20 December election, which returned president Felix Tshisekedi for a second term, fighting has resumed, leaving dozens dead and displacing thousands.

“Given the absolute need ... to rid the army of traitors by carrying out the capital punishments they deserve after an irreversible sentence for treason,” the justice ministry asked government “to recognise the intention to lift the moratorium”, the spokesman said. - Nampa/AFP