In a landmark legal motion, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s public prosecutor has called for the death penalty against former President Joseph Kabila. The charges, presented in a session at the High Military Court in Kinshasa on Friday, accuse Kabila of war crimes and treason linked to his purported connections with the M23 rebel group, an entity known for its prolonged insurgency in eastern Congo.

Lieutenant General Lucien René Likulia, the military auditor general, detailed the severe allegations against Kabila, including homicide, rape, deportation, and torture. In addition to capital punishment, the prosecution is pushing for a 20-year sentence for overlooking war crimes and 15 years for conspiracy related to the armed conflict in the region.

Joseph Kabila, who led the country from 2001 until 2019, is facing these charges in absentia. He has consistently denied all allegations. His political faction, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), has labeled the trial as politically motivated, accusing current President Félix Tshisekedi of using the judiciary to undermine political adversaries. This assertion is underscored by the April suspension of the PPRD, which the government justified by alleging the party’s involvement with M23.

The trial of Kabila is unprecedented in the DRC’s history, marking the first time a former head of state has been subjected to a capital punishment request in a domestic court. This trial unfolds against a backdrop of increasing violence in eastern Congo, where, according to a recent briefing by Amnesty International, atrocities continue to escalate. The report highlights severe human rights violations by groups allied with Rwanda, including the M23 and local militias, which are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Rights organizations have criticized the legal proceedings against Kabila, pointing to the DRC’s problematic history with due process and the ongoing de facto moratorium on executions that has been in place since 2003.

The global community and Congolese citizens watch closely as this historic trial progresses, amidst ongoing debates about justice, political rivalry, and the rule of law in a region fraught with conflict and instability.