A report published by Amnesty International last week asserts that the Democratic Republic of Congo must strengthen its judicial system in order to ensure adherence to due process, hold perpetrators accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and offer justice and reparation to victims. The Time for Justice is Now: New Strategy Needed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo describes the violence and international crimes in the country’s recent history (with reference to the UN Mapping Report), the vulnerability of the judiciary to threats and political influence, the lack of sufficient resources to prosecute offenders, inadequate support and protection of victims and witnesses, weak enforcement of court judgments, and poor prison conditions.
Amnesty calls on the DRC to:
- Proceed with the government-proposed Specialised Court with jurisdiction over international crimes;
- Seek funding from United Nations, European Union, national government and other sources to better fund ordinary courts;
- Allow victims to participate in the reform process;
- Establish a program to protect victims and witnesses; and,
- Raise victims’ awareness of their legal right to collect reparations when a court finds the government responsible for international crimes.