By Jean-Yves Kamale, KINSHASA,
DR Congo
More than 170 inmates on death row were flown from Congo’s capital to a high-security prison in the north where they will be executed, Congolese authorities said.
Seventy of the convicts were
transported on Sunday, Congolese Minister of Justice Constant Mutamba said,
adding to 102 other prisoners who have already been sent to Angenga prison in
the northern Mongala province.
The men have been convicted of
armed robbery and are locally known as “Kulunas” or “urban bandits.” They’re
aged between 18 and 35, Mutamba said in a statement. He did not say when the
executions would take place.
Some have welcomed the measure
as a means of restoring order and security in the cities, while others are
concerned about the risks of abuse and human rights violations.
“We welcome this decision by
the minister because it will help put an end to urban crime. From 8 p.m.
onwards, you can’t move around freely because you’re afraid of running into a
Kuluna,” said Fiston Kakule, a resident of the eastern city of Goma.
Espoir Muhinuka, a human
rights activist, warned of the possibility of extrajudicial executions and
called for a strict respect for judicial procedures and fundamental guarantees.
He fears that political pressure could lead to unjust convictions and arbitrary
executions.
“The situation in the DRC is
complex and requires a multidimensional approach. The fight against urban gangs
must go hand in hand with efforts to combat poverty, unemployment and social
exclusion, which are often contributing factors to crime,” he said.
Congo abolished the death
sentence in 1981, but it was reinstated in 2006. The last execution took place
in 2003.
In March 2024, the Congolese
government announced the resumption of capital punishment in cases of treason
by military personnel.In May, eight soldiers were sentenced to death, and in
July, 25
soldiers were convicted of similar offences. None is known to have
been executed.
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