A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced all 26 defendants linked to the M23 rebel group to death in a high-profile trial in Kinshasa.

The court found the defendants guilty of war crimes, insurrection, and treason, marking a significant judicial decision amid ongoing conflicts in the DRC's eastern region.

The trial, which commenced on July 24, concluded with the prosecutor's call for death sentences for 25 of the accused and a 20-year prison term for one. Among the convicted are key figures from the Tutsi-led M23, which has been active in eastern DRC since late 2021, seizing significant territories.

The group is reportedly backed by Rwanda, adding a complex layer to the conflict that stems from the regional turmoil of the 1990s following the fall of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

Notably, 21 of the 26 defendants, including prominent M23 leaders, were tried in absentia as they remain at large. Corneille Nangaa, a former president of the Congolese electoral commission and now a fugitive, was among the most high-profile defendants. Nangaa, who declared the formation of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) in December 2023, had his property confiscated by the court.

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The trial also highlighted the involvement of the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), the party of former president Joseph Kabila. Some PPRD members had aligned with the AFC, further complicating the political landscape.

This verdict comes after the DRC government controversially lifted a 20-year moratorium on the death penalty in March, targeting military personnel accused of treason. The five defendants present in court have five days to appeal the ruling. The case underscores the ongoing instability and legal challenges in the DRC's efforts to address insurgencies in its eastern regions.