Justice should prevail in DRC, says ICC Prosecutor

THE HAGUE: The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC, today vowed to accelerate his work in the conflict-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), so that justice prevails there, and the rights of all individuals are upheld.

Khan said his second mission to the DRC “reaffirmed our collective determination” to pursue justice for the victims of atrocities and to hold perpetrators accountable in the central African nation. He sent a clear message to those on the ground: Any armed group, any armed forces, any allies of armed groups or armed forces don’t have a blank cheque, and that they must comply with international humanitarian law.

“Any warlord, any militia leader in any part of the DRC should be on notice that we are looking at new ways to forge a stronger partnership with the DRC. Whether it is the special court that is to be established here, or whether it is the independent work of my Office, justice is a right for all,” he said today after he concluded his three-day visit to the DRC, on February 26, 2025.

Yesterday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expressed deep concern over the recent surge in violence and insecurity in Uvira, located approximately 100 kilometers south of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The ongoing clashes and increasing crime rates in Uvira are placing both local communities and humanitarian workers in significant peril, with reports of numerous incidents involving looting and sexual violence emerging from humanitarian partners,” it stated. Besides, the ongoing violence in Masisi continued to pose serious risks of harm and violations of rights for the returning population. In Ituri province too violence was on the rise in the territory of Djugu, where attacks by armed men killed eight civilians and abducted two people between February 21 and 23, 2025. Insecurity in the area forced at least 17,000 people to flee their homes and partners have had to suspend the delivery of humanitarian assistance to some 45,000 people.

Khan said his visit underlined his commitment to further intensify the work of his Office in delivering justice and accountability in the DRC, particularly in the East. “Through the effective application of the law, we must show that the lives of those in the DRC have equal value as those in all other situations addressed by the ICC…This is something we cannot do alone. It will be delivered together with the victims, civil society, affected communities, and national authorities of the DRC that I have met with in the last two days,” he said and referred to his meeting with the DRC President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. “Our discussions were candid and focused on the urgent need to address the grave situation in the eastern DRC, where violence has escalated alarmingly. We reaffirmed our shared commitment to combating impunity and ensuring justice for victims of the most serious crimes,” he said.

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Khan said both he and President Tshilombo agreed that to deliver lasting accountability, they must find a new way of doing things. “In this spirit, the President reaffirmed his engagement to convene an international conference to be held in April in Kinshasa aimed at delivering a holistic, sustainable and comprehensive solution for justice in the DRC,” he informed.

During his visit, Khan also engaged with the Prosecutor of the Cassation Court, the Auditor General of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the First President of the High Military Court, as well as his office’s judicial partners in the DRC, to further explore avenues for enhancing judicial cooperation and building stronger collaboration to reinforce the trust in the process to achieve an impact “that will be felt by victims and populations afflicted by these serious ongoing crimes”.

The meeting with the President of the Constitutional Court and President of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary was another “productive exchange” focusing on the need for a robust national judicial process, in parallel with the ICC’s ongoing investigations to end the long-lasting cycle of violence and impunity in the DRC.

Khan’s delegation also met with a group of victims of sexual violence, whose testimonies, he said,  underscored the urgent need for justice and reparations. “In my meeting with H.E. Irène Esambo, Minister of Persons with Disabilities and other Vulnerable Persons, we discussed the importance of addressing the rights and protections for persons with disabilities. I emphasised my Office’s commitment, in line with our corresponding policies published in December 2023, to seek accountability for gender-based crimes and crimes against and affecting children wherever they may arise,” he said.

“As we move forward, my Office remains steadfast in its mandate to uphold justice and accountability. We call upon all stakeholders—victims, witnesses, national and international organisations, civil society groups, and State authorities—to continue their cooperation and support in our collective pursuit of justice,” he added.

– global bihari bureau