Amnesty International has raised serious concerns regarding the actions of the March 23 Movement (M23), an armed group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), calling them human rights violations that may constitute war crimes. The organization’s latest report indicates that M23 has been involved in killing, torturing, and holding civilians hostage at various detention sites.
The investigation is based on interviews with 18 former detainees who were held at these sites by M23 fighters. According to the testimonies, these detainees either witnessed or experienced severe mistreatment, including the killing of fellow detainees, arbitrary arrests, and inhumane detention conditions. Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, has criticized M23 for their violent tactics, which are masked by public statements claiming to bring order to the area. The detainees reportedly died from torture or the harsh detention conditions, highlighting the severity of the violations.
The group is also accused of holding many individuals in overcrowded cells with inadequate food, water, sanitation, and healthcare, further exposing detainees to cruel conditions. Methods of torture identified in the report include beating with wooden rods, electric cables, and other implements, underscoring the brutal nature of M23’s actions towards those they perceive as threats.
Accusations against M23 do not stop at torture and unlawful detentions. The group is also alleged to have carried out enforced disappearances and extracted ransom payments from detainees’ families. Such actions stand in violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), specifically its prohibitions against torture, arbitrary detention, and murder of civilians. In response, Chagutah has called for the immediate release of all civilian detainees and an end to the group’s violent practices.
Amnesty International has previously expressed concern over M23’s human rights record, pressing for international intervention to pressurize conflicting parties into halting hostilities and adhering to IHL. The ongoing violence, especially since M23’s capture of the city of Goma in January, has exacerbated a humanitarian crisis, leading to widespread displacement and suffering among the Congolese population. The United Nations has also called on its member states to pursue coordinated action to address the escalating conflict in the region.