Banjul, 15 April 2025: The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has urged the Democratic republic of Congo (DRC) to immediately prosecute and punish perpetrators of several massive human rights violations that occurred in Minova, Eastern DRC in November 2012.
In October 2018, IHRDA petitioned the ACHPR on behalf of 1016 victims, including 115 women and 33 girls, who suffered many violations including torture, rape, killings, arbitrary arrests and looting. alleging several violations of rights protected under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. The ACHPR communicated its decision on the matter on 11 April 2025.
The violations in this case took place during military operations in a battle between DRC soldiers and rebels in November 2012. Though the incidents were reported, the State failed to conduct proper investigation into the violations and adequately prosecute the perpetrators. Some perpetrators were arraigned before a military court, but most commanding officers were not prosecuted. In May 2014, the military court acquitted most of those accused, and those found guilty were given lenient sentences. The court ordered reparation for some victims, but no payment has been made to date.
In the decision, the ACHPR found DRC in violation of several human rights, notably the rights to life, fair trial, health, dignity, personal security, liberty, property, and freedom from all forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. It urged the DRC Government to conduct a thorough independent judicial investigation into the violations and prosecute perpetrators and to fully implement the decision of the military court. The ACHPR also called on DRC to provide adequate reparation as well as medical and psychosocial support to victims/survivors, to offer a public apology to all survivors including those not party to the complaint but who were also directly affected by the attacks, and to put in place several other measures preventing the recurrence of such acts.
“The ACHPR decision is a timeous one. The ongoing conflict in the DRC is not just a crisis of security — it is a crisis of humanity. Every day that passes without action is another day of suffering for children, women, and communities caught in the crossfire. We urge DRC to take actions towards ending the current crisis and provide justice for the victims/survivors of November 2012,” IHRDA Senior Legal Officer, Désiré Bigirimana, stated.
