SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER DEATH SENTENCES, EXECUTIONS IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

The Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Asma Jahangir, and its Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iulia-Antoanella Motoc, today jointly expressed serious concern about recent death sentences handed down by a military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - the Cour d'Ordre Militaire - against 30 persons suspected of being involved in the assassination of President Laurent-Desiré Kabila in January 2001. The Special Rapporteurs also expressed concern at reports alleging that 15 persons had been executed recently, some of whom reportedly had been convicted by a military tribunal.
According to information received by the Special Rapporteurs, the trials conducted by the military tribunals were seriously flawed and unfair. It was reported that the judges on these tribunals had no adequate legal training in international human rights law and the defendants reportedly did not have sufficient time to prepare their trials and were denied the right of appeal.
Both Special Rapporteurs urged the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in particular President Joseph Kabila, to ensure that existing international standards on safeguards and restrictions relating to the imposition of capital punishment were respected, and to reinstate the country's moratorium on executions which was lifted on 23 September 2002.
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