An M23 soldier guards FARDC fighters at Stade de l’Unité in Goma, May 10, 2025. (Photo: Jospin Mwisha / AFP)

M23 rebels are accused of killing, torturing, and disappearing civilians in secret Congo prisons, says Amnesty International. These are war crimes.

Published:

May 27, 2025 at 1:32:35 PM

Modified:

May 27, 2025 at 1:34:39 PM

A new Amnesty International investigation has exposed shocking crimes committed by the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23, including killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and hostage-taking in Goma and Bukavu. These actions, Amnesty says, violate international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes.

M23’s public statements about bringing order to eastern DRC mask their horrific treatment of detainees... They brutally punish those who they believe oppose them," Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International's Regional Director

The Hidden Prisons of Goma and Bukavu

Between February and April 2025, 18 former detainees told Amnesty how they were unlawfully held in horrific conditions. Many were tortured, denied legal help, and kept away from their families.

The detention sites included:

Chien Méchant (ANR compound)
RTNC compound on Mount Goma
Provincial Assembly building
34th Military Region HQ
Bagira military camp in Bukavu

They whipped me every morning and called it ‘morning tea.’” Former detainee recounting his daily torture

Eyewitness to Murder and Hammer Executions

Survivors described brutal killings inside these secret prisons:

They hit him with a hammer in the ribs. He died on the spot.” Former detainee describing torture-murder inside M23 facility

In another case, a man was shot in the stomach and shoulder after M23 accused him of hiding weapons.

Ransoms, Lies, and Disappearances

M23 fighters reportedly demanded ransoms of up to $2,000 from families seeking their loved ones' release. Some victims were never returned.

My family asked if I was there. M23 said no, even though I was inside.” Former prisoner

Others vanished forever, like Victoire Hategekimana Hakizimana, an NGO worker arrested by Rwandan border officials and never seen again

Inhumane Living Conditions

Cells were so overcrowded, detainees had to sleep standing up. There was no water, barely any food, and sanitation was a nightmare.

It was incredibly hot… People were drinking each other’s urine." Former detainee

At one site, a man died after a week from a mix of torture, hunger, and dehydration.

This Is a War Crime

These actions, murder, torture, and hostage-taking, are not just human rights abuses; they are clear war crimes under international law.

Amnesty International is demanding:

Immediate release of detained civilians
Access to lawyers & families
Rwanda to stop supporting M23
Full international pressure and accountability

Congolese know all too well the cruelty of M23... They continue to live in misery as international actors have become complacent.” Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International

While peace deals are debated in fancy rooms, Congolese men, women, and children are tortured in silence. The world must choose: stay silent or stand with the victims.