“With the expression of our most deferential tributes”.
The Congolese Coalition against the Death Penalty, FIACAT, ECPM and all the signatories denounce the decision of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to lift the moratorium on executions in force since 2003. This decision was announced on March 13, 2024, in a circular made public by the Minister of State, Minister of Justice.
To this end, the signatory organizations and individuals assert that the execution of those condemned to death will have no dissuasive effect on the ground and will, on the contrary, feed dangerous misconceptions that the death penalty could contribute to putting an end to the war and atrocities in the East of the DRC and resolve the root causes of urban crime.
They call on the President of the Republic and Supreme Magistrate to ensure respect for human rights, the first and foremost of which is the right to life, by refusing to carry out this sentence. They also reiterate that the fight against impunity can only be waged by cleaning up the judicial system and complying with regional and international fair trial standards. The death penalty serves neither justice nor peace.
At a time when the African continent is following a unique abolitionist path, the signatories recall that the DRC is, to date, one of the last two Central African states not to have abolished the death penalty. In view of its history, if the DRC were to decide to abolish the death penalty, it would set a real example both in Africa and worldwide.
Kinshasa, April 05, 2024
