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
MAY 15, 2021Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: THIRTY SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ANTI-POLICE CLASHES
Thirty people were sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 15 May 2021 after a one-day trial for their role in anti-police violence marking the end of Ramadan in the capital.
- MARCH 10, 2021Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: AUTHORITIES SHOULD QUASH WHISTLEBLOWERS’ DEATH SENTENCES
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo should quash the death sentences imposed in absentia on two whistleblowers who provided information on corruption, Human Rights Watch declared on 9 March 2021.
MARCH 10, 2021Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: 16 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING EBOLA MEDIC
Sixteen people, including a doctor, have been sentenced to death in absentia for the murder of a Cameroonian Ebola expert, lawyers said on 9 March 2021.
- MARCH 8, 2021Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: TWO WHISTLEBLOWERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA
Two whistleblowers Gradi Koko Lobanga and Navy Malela were sentenced to death in absentia in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in September 2020, the PPLAAF said on 4 March 2021.
JANUARY 4, 2021Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: PRESIDENT PARDONS TWO KILLERS OF LAURENT-DESIRE KABILA
DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi’s office said that he has pardoned two men convicted over the assassination of former ruler Laurent-Desire Kabila, the father of his political rival Joseph Kabila, AFP reported on 2 January 2021.
- DECEMBER 5, 2020Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: 14 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF RAPPER TWINS
A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo on 3 December 2020 sentenced 14 men to death for the murder of twin brothers, who were burned alive in a remote community.
- MAY 28, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: An army sergeant sentenced to death for the murder of five people
28 May 2018: the first Sergeant Damascene Ntagonayigiza Mbyayingabo was sentenced to the death penalty for the murder of five persons.
- MAY 25, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Tshikapa: a soldier sentenced to death for the murder of two colleagues
25 May 2018: the military Court of Tshikapa (Kasai) condemned first class soldier Fabrice Aliata for a double murder. He killed the day before, an Army captain and a post commander.
- MARCH 21, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Congo: Colonel Abbas Kayonga sentenced to death with 13 other people
21 March 2018: Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bukavu military court sentenced the former anti-corruption chief of the rich mining province of South Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- JANUARY 30, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
One sentenced to death
30 January 2018: the Lieutenant-Colonel, Ndoyipiwa Juna of the armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was sentenced to capital punishment
- JANUARY 22, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: one condemned to death
22 January 2018: the military Court of North Kivu sentenced to death Yusuf Dongo Amala
- JANUARY 21, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: 66 death sentences in the ADF trials, since 2016
21 January 2018: the Congolese military justice announced that it had condemned to death 66 persons since the opening in August 2016
- JANUARY 19, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: 14 condemned to death
19 January 2018: the military Court of North Kivu delivered its verdict in the case under RP. 172/2017 against 30 defendants, 14 of whom were sentenced to the death penalty,
- JANUARY 18, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: 6 condemned to death
18 January 2018: the operational military Court of North Kivu had delivered two judgments in the cases under PR: 197/2017 and 209/2017 and senteced to death six.
JANUARY 13, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: REBEL LEADER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The military court in the troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced a rebel leader to death.
- JANUARY 10, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: two militia chiefs sentenced to death
10 January 2018: the military Court of North Kivu, sitting in the fair room in Beni, condemned Ugandan rebels of the ADF and their collaborators to sentences which vary between two years of penal servitude to the death penalty.
- JANUARY 8, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: one condemned to death
8 January 2018: the operational military Court of North Kivu had sentenced to death Kamal Selemani
- NOVEMBER 17, 2017Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
North Kivu: one death sentence for the attack at the Goma airport in 2015
17 November 2017: the operational military Court of Goma condemned to the death penalty and the payment of $650,000 in favor of the Congolese state, Mr Malonga Kambala
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2017Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Benin: one senteced to death
11 September 2017: the operational military Court of North Kivu made a decision in No. RP: 192/2017 and RP: 205/2017.
- MAY 18, 2017Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: NORWEGIAN-BRITISH PRISONER RELEASED FROM DEATH ROW AMID GROWING HEALTH CONCERNS
Joshua French and his friend Tjostolv Moland were twice sentenced to death in 2009 and 2010 following convictions for numerous offences, including murder and espionage by a DRC military court in Kinshasa, charges which both prisoners denied.
- MAY 8, 2017Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
One sentenced to death, died in prison
8 May 2017: Colonel Charles Alamba Mungako, sentenced to death in 2004 for his alleged participation in an assassination, died in a prison in Kinshasa.
- MARCH 10, 2017Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Nine sentenced to death
10 March 2017: a Congolese court sentenced to death nine rebels convicted of having participated in the violence that has caused more than 1000 deaths in the east of the country since October 2014.
- JULY 22, 2016Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila commuted the sentences of all death row inmates
Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila commuted the sentences of all death row inmates
- JUNE 16, 2016Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: MILITARY COURT MARTIAL SENTENCES 31 TO DEATH
the Goma military court, sitting as mobile court in Kiwanja, sentenced thirty-one people to death for several
SEPTEMBER 17, 2015Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: MILITARY COURT COMMUTES OFFICER'S DEATH SENTENCE FOR ACTIVIST MURDER
A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo commuted a senior police officer's death sentence
- MARCH 9, 2015Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
the military garrison court of Goma, in North Kivu, condemned to the death Kambale Kitambala, a soldier
the military garrison court of Goma, in North Kivu, condemned to the death Kambale Kitambala, a soldier
- JANUARY 13, 2015Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
two men, Musamango Kasereka and Mumbere Nayisala, were sentenced to death by the Operational
two men, Musamango Kasereka and Mumbere Nayisala, were sentenced to death by the Operational
- NOVEMBER 15, 2014Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
a Congolese army officer and four Ugandan rebels were sentenced to death for the killing of a colonel,
a Congolese army officer and four Ugandan rebels were sentenced to death for the killing of a colonel,
- DECEMBER 22, 2013Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
two soldiers got death sentences for sexual violence - one for rape and the other for having taken part in the
two soldiers got death sentences for sexual violence - one for rape and the other for having taken part in the
MAY 30, 2012Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: DEFECTORS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Congolese military court slapped 13 officers with sentences ranging from two years