Amnesty International

President

Felix-Antoine

Tshisekedi

DRC Government

Dear Mr President Tshisekedi,
Dear UN Secretary General Guterres,

I call upon you to take urgent and decisive action to address the ongoing human rights violations and entrenched impunity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Since the early 1990s, the DRC has endured recurring conflicts marked by mass atrocities and serious human rights violations, including war crimes and crimes humanity, through sexual violence, killings, forced displacement, child recruitment, destruction of livelihoods, and the illegal exploitation of natural resources. Three decades later, the situation remains critical, particularly in eastern DRC, where the resurgence of the Rwanda-backed M23, continued attacks by the ADF, and violence by other armed groups reflect entrenched impunity and the failure to hold both Congolese and foreign perpetrators accountable.

As Amnesty International has noted, there have been some recent steps toward accountability and justice, including the adoption of a draft national transitional justice strategy, proposed legislation on mixed chambers and a special criminal court, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, and accession to the Ljubljana–The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and Other International Crimes.

These commitments must now move beyond promise and into adoption or implementation. The time to act is now to ensure truth, justice, reparations, for victims and survivors, and to help break the cycles of violence. The people of the DRC have endured unimaginable suffering for far too long.Your responsibility is to ensure that justice is served, victims are supported, and future atrocities are prevented.

In your respective positions, it is imperative to take decisive actions to

1.	Prioritize the establishment of an internationalized judicial mechanism, such as a hybrid court, to investigate and prosecute those responsible for crimes under international law committed on the territory of the DRC between 1993 and 2003 as documented in the Mapping report.

2.	Continue to strengthen the domestic civilian courts, including through the adoption of the legislation on mixed chambers within appeal courts, to ensure that these courts investigate and prosecute those responsible for crimes under international law committed on the territory of the DRC, including in the recent conflicts in eastern DRC.

3.	Ensure adequate, effective, and prompt reparations for victims and survivors of crimes under international law in the DRC, including compensation, rehabilitation, restitution, and symbolic measures that restore dignity and address the full harm suffered. Reparations must be survivor-centered, gender-sensitive, and designed and implemented with the meaningful participation of victims and affected communities.

3.	Protect civilians and ensure adequate, timely, and unhindered humanitarian assistance for all communities affected by conflict in the DRC. This includes safeguarding displaced populations and ensuring access to food, shelter, healthcare, water, education, and psychosocial support. All parties must facilitate humanitarian access and prioritize the protection of those most at risk, including survivors of sexual violence and repeatedly displaced communities.

4.	Establish 1 October as a Global Day of Reflection and Action on Crimes under International Law Committed in the DRC. In recognition of the profound suffering endured by the people of the DRC, this day would honor the memory of victims, reaffirm the need to address impunity, and encourage reflection on the lessons of past and ongoing atrocities. It would also serve as a global moment for education, awareness, solidarity, and renewed commitment to justice, accountability, and the prevention of future crimes.

Kind regards,

Guillaume

Ngefa Atondoko

Ministry of Justice

Dear Mr President Tshisekedi,
Dear UN Secretary General Guterres,

In your respective positions, it is imperative to take decisive actions to

Kind regards,

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