Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi

DRC: AUTHORITIES ANNOUNCE 170 PRISONERS TO BE EXECUTED

January 9, 2025:

More than 170 inmates on death row were flown from Congo’s capital to a high-security prison in the north where they will be executed, Congolese authorities said.
Seventy of the convicts were transported on January 5, Congolese Minister of Justice Constant Mutamba said, adding to 102 other prisoners who have already been sent to Angenga prison in the northern Mongala province.
The men have been convicted of armed robbery and are locally known as “Kulunas” or “urban bandits.” They’re aged between 18 and 35, Mutamba said in a statement. He did not say when the executions would take place.
Some have welcomed the measure as a means of restoring order and security in the cities, while others are concerned about the risks of abuse and human rights violations.
“We welcome this decision by the minister because it will help put an end to urban crime. From 8 p.m. onwards, you can’t move around freely because you’re afraid of running into a Kuluna,” said Fiston Kakule, a resident of the eastern city of Goma.
Espoir Muhinuka, a human rights activist, warned of the possibility of extrajudicial executions and called for a strict respect for judicial procedures and fundamental guarantees. He fears that political pressure could lead to unjust convictions and arbitrary executions.