Congo - Kinshasa
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Capital crimes are: aggravated murder, aggravated robbery,...
- News items in the archive
- 166
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Congo - Kinshasa is classified as Abolitionist de facto in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 166 news items on Congo - Kinshasa, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JANUARY 18, 2026Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
CONGO (DRC) - Update on the situation in Congo
Arrests/abductions of opponents continue: Aubin Minaku Ndjalandjoko
- JANUARY 17, 2026Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
CONGO (RDC) - Updates on the situation in Congo
DECEMBER 28, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - Update on the situation in Congo
There is no more news of Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, Kabila's right-hand man
- DECEMBER 24, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - In defence of Joseph Kabila
Who democratically ruled Congo for 17 years, and now is sentenced to death
- OCTOBER 16, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC - FORMER CONGO LEADER KABILA APPEARS AT KENYA POLITICAL MEETING DESPITE ABSENTIA DEATH SENTENCE
The former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo appeared in public on October 15, 2025 for the first time since
- OCTOBER 1, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
CONGO: EX-PRESIDENT KABILA SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA BY MILITARY COURT
Former Democratic Republic of Congo president Joseph Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia on September 30, 2025 by a military court that convicted him of war crimes, treason, and crimes against humanity.
- SEPTEMBER 1, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: MILITARY PROSECUTOR SEEKS DEATH PENALTY AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT KABILA
A military prosecutor on August 21, 2025 demanded the death penalty for DR Congo's former president Joseph Kabila who is on trial in absentia on treason charges.
APRIL 2, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: DEATH SENTENCE FOR THREE AMERICANS OVER COUP ATTEMPT OVERTURNED
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi has downgraded the death sentences of three United States citizens convicted for taking part in a failed coup attempt last year, reducing their punishments to life imprisonment.
- JANUARY 28, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: MILITARY COURT CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE OF MILITARY EXPERT
Congo's military court of appeal on January 27, 2025 confirmed the death sentence previously imposed on Belgian Jean-Jacques Wondo, La Libre writes.
- JANUARY 27, 2025Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS DEATH SENTENCES IN DRC AND VIOLATIONS OF THE RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
The European Parliament on January 23, 2025 adopted a resolution by a show of hands regarding the respect for human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
- DECEMBER 31, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: 13 SOLDIERS TO HANG FOR MURDER, LOOTING, COWARDICE
A Congolese military tribunal on December 31, 2024 sentenced 13 soldiers to death on charges including murder, looting, and cowardice in what military authorities said was a drive to improve army discipline after territorial losses due to soldiers fleeing
NOVEMBER 5, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: FOUR SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH WITH SENTENCE CHANGED TO PRISON
Four Congolese soldiers were sentenced to death on October 31, 2024 by a military court in Butembo, North Kivu (east of the Democratic Republic of Congo), with sentence commuted to prison.
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES 26 ARMED GROUP MEMBERS TO DEATH
A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on August 8, 2024 sentenced 26 people accused of involvement in armed groups, including the M23, to death after a high-profile trial that started late last month.
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES 37 TO DEATH IN COUP TRIAL
A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has sentenced to death 37 people, including three United States citizens, on charges of taking part in a failed coup in May.
JULY 9, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYD R CONGO: TWO MORE SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FLEEING BATTLE
Two more solders have been sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo after they fled battles in conflict-torn North Kivu province, a military court said on July 5, 2024
JULY 8, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: 25 SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FLEEING BATTLE
Twenty-five soldiers have been sentenced to death by a military tribunal in the Democratic Republic of Congo for fleeing battles against M23 rebels and theft, their lawyer and an army spokesman said on July 4, 2024.
- MAY 5, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: 8 TROOPS HANDED DESERTION DEATH SENTENCE
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo's war-torn east on May 3, 2024 handed a death sentence to eight soldiers, including five officers, for desertion and cowardice when fighting M23 rebels.
- APRIL 15, 2024Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: DEATH PENALTY FOR AN ARMY SERGEANT-MAJOR AFTER THE MURDER OF A PREGNANT WOMAN IN GOMA
A soldier from the army, Sergeant Major Serugo Buhera, on April 6, 2024 was sentenced to death for shooting and killing a pregnant woman, at the end of a summary trial at the military garrison tribunal of Goma, in the North Kivu province.
- OCTOBER 11, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: LAWMAKER GETS DEATH SENTENCE OVER TREASON CHARGES
A Congolese military court sentenced a lawmaker to death on October 10, 2023 for treason and involvement with the M23 rebel movement, a verdict his lawyer denounced as based on "ethnic hatred."
- OCTOBER 4, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: ARMY OFFICER RECEIVES DEATH SENTENCE OVER PROTEST KILLINGS
A military court sentenced a DR Congo army officer to death and handed 10-year prison terms to three others on October 2, 2023 over the August killing of more than 50 protesters in the eastern city of Goma.
- AUGUST 8, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING YOUNG GIRL
A Congolese woman on August 5, 2023 was sentenced to death for the murder of a girl whose mutilated body was found near a river in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
- AUGUST 2, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: THE SOLDIER RESPONSIBLE FOR A FAMILY MASSACRE SENTENCED TO DEATH
A soldier was sentenced to death on July 26, 2023 for a family massacre that killed 13 people on July 22 in Ituri, in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- MAY 24, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: KENYAN FUGITIVE HANDED DEATH SENTENCE
A Court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has sentenced Kenyan terror suspect Salim Mohammed, alias Chotora, to death.
APRIL 11, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYCONGO: SIX SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON OVER DEATH OF ITALIAN AMBASSADOR ATTANASIO
A Democratic Republic of Congo military court sentenced six men to life in prison over the death of the Italian ambassador, his bodyguard and driver, a lawyer said on 7 April 2023.
FEBRUARY 14, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: SEVEN SOLDIERS GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR COWARDICE AGAINST M23 REBELS
A military court in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on 11 February 2023 sentenced seven soldiers to death for cowardice in the face of the enemy and murder.
- DECEMBER 28, 2022Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: MILITARY COURT UPHOLDS NINE DEATH SENTENCES
Eight soldiers and one civilian in the Democratic Republic of Congo's war-torn northeast have had death sentences for murder and embezzlement confirmed, court documents showed on 27 December 2022.
- OCTOBER 16, 2022Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: ARMY OFFICERS GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF 2 CHINESE MINE WORKERS
Six people, including two army colonels, were condemned to death by a Democratic Republic of the Congo military court on 14 October 2022 for the murder of two Chinese mine workers.
MAY 28, 2022Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: SOLDIERS, CIVILIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SELLING ARMS
A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has sentenced to death eight soldiers and three civilians for selling arms to a violent rebel group.
- MAY 15, 2022Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST FLORIBERT CHEBEYA
A Congolese military court on 11 May 2022 sentenced a high-ranking policeman to death for his role in the 2010 murder of human rights activist Floribert Chebeya, which caused national outrage.
- JANUARY 31, 2022Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: 51 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN MURDER OF UN EXPERTS BY A MILITARY COURT
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced 51 people to death on 29 January 2022, several in absentia, as well as a 10-year prison term and two acquittals in a mass trial over the 2017 killing of two UN experts in Kasai, central DRC.