On Wednesday January 8, Amnesty International urged the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, to abandon plans to execute those sentenced to death for urban banditry. The human rights organization is concerned about the fate of these prisoners, recently transferred to high-security prisons.
In the DRC, the "kulunas", infamous young criminals, sow terror with extremely violent attacks. Armed with machetes, they mutilate, kill and rob their victims, operating both day and night. The Congolese authorities seem to be stepping up their response to this major threat.
On Sunday January 5, the Minister of Justice, Constant Mutamba, oversaw the transfer of a third group of "kulunas" to Angenga prison in the north-west of the country. During his visit to the Ndolo military prison, he was uncompromising: "We're going to carry out the death penalty. I want you to know that you are not going to return here. We don't want to hear any more about the kulunas", he declared, before their embarkation under police escort.
According to the Minister, these transfers mark a further step towards the execution of death sentences. "This is the third wave of kulunas that we are sending to high-security prisons so that the death penalty can be carried out," he added.
However, this stance closes the alarm on human rights defenders. Sarah Jackson, Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa at Amnesty International, expressed concern at the lack of guarantees regarding the procedures that led to these convictions. "The announcement of these transfers is dismaying. We fear that the authorities are carrying out mass executions without transparency or judicial guarantees", she said.
Amnesty International calls on President Tshisekedi to speak out unequivocally against any plans to carry out executions. Since last March, the Congolese government has lifted the moratorium on the death penalty, in force since 2003. This decision was motivated by a desire to combat not only the armed rebellions in the east of the country, but also the phenomenon of urban bandits.
While the fight against "kulunas" divides public opinion, the question of the death penalty remains at the heart of a crucial debate between public safety and respect for fundamental rights.
Editorial staff
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