00:00A new report is raising alarm over a sharp rise in death sentences in the Democratic Republic of Congo
00:07following the government's decision to lift a long-standing moratorium on execution in March 2024.
00:14According to findings released Tuesday by rights groups, more than 480 people were sentenced to death in 2024,
00:22followed by another 344 in 2025, which is a dramatic increase from just 122 cases in 2023.
00:32While no executions have been officially confirmed, the report warns that the surge is fueling widespread fear across the country.
00:41Investigators visiting around 20 prisons documented at least 950 inmates on death row, nearly double the number recorded in 2019.
00:51Many are being held in overcrowded and deteriorating facilities, facing severe shortages of food and medical care.
00:59The report also highlights serious concerns over due process, with some defendants denied legal representation and fair trials.
01:08Rights Group now warn the situation could worsen further in the months ahead.
Comments