Former Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) president Joseph Kabila has been sentenced to death in absentia by a military court on charges of treason, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The court ruled that Kabila backed the M23 rebel group, which has seized large parts of eastern DRC and carried out mass killings, rape and torture.
Kabila, 54, denied the allegations but did not appear in court. He dismissed the trial as political persecution, calling it an “instrument of oppression.” His current whereabouts remain unknown.
Kabila ruled Congo from 2001 to 2019, after succeeding his assassinated father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila. He later handed power to Félix Tshisekedi but relations between the two collapsed. In 2023, he went into exile after losing legal immunity.
Earlier this year, Kabila reappeared in Goma under M23 control, saying he wanted to help end the fighting. Tshisekedi instead accused him of being the mastermind behind the rebellion.
The UN and Western governments have blamed Rwanda for supporting the M23 with troops and weapons, though Kigali denies the charges. Despite a July ceasefire, fighting continues in North and South Kivu.