KINSHASA, DR Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo has lifted a more than two-decade-old moratorium on the death penalty as authorities struggle to curb violence and militant attacks in the country, according to a justice ministry statement released on Friday.
The statement, dated earlier
this week, said the ban from 2003 allowed offenders accused of treason and
espionage to get away without proper punishment.
Eastern Congo has been riddled
by conflict for decades, linked to more than 120 armed groups fighting for land
and power and in some cases, protecting their communities.
The government said the
violence in the east has plagued the country with recurrent conflict and
resulted in a surge of attacks that have spread terror among the communities.
In recent years, the M23 rebel
group — the most dominant in the region with alleged links to neighboring
Rwanda — has continued to attack villages, forcing many to flee to Goma, the
region’s largest city. M23 has laid siege to several communities with about
half of North Kivu province under it's control.
The violence in the province
has worsened in recent weeks as security forces battle the rebels. Residents
have said the group’s fighter mostly launch attacks with bombs out of hills
overlooking remote towns.
In its statement, the justice
ministry said capital punishment will be reserved for offenders involved in
criminal conspiracies, armed gangs, insurrection — and also those who commit
treason and war crimes. It will also be applied to the military, including
those who rebel or desert and join enemy ranks.
Rights groups have condemned
the decision, calling it a step back for the country.
“This initiative is against
the constitution," said Jean-Claude Katende, president of the African
Association for Human Rights. “We don’t think that capital punishment and the
execution of this sentence are appropriate measures to restore order.”
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