Amnesty Accuses M23 of Killing, Torturing Civilians in Eastern DRC

Amnesty International has accused the Rwandan-backed March 23 Movement (M23) of committing serious abuses in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and inhumane detention conditions. These acts, documented through interviews with 18 former detainees, violate international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes. Detainees were held in overcrowded, unsanitary cells without adequate food, water, or medical care, and many were tortured or witnessed torture and deaths of fellow prisoners. M23 has been accused of holding civilians arbitrarily, often accusing them of supporting the Congolese government without evidence, and refusing detainees contact with family or legal representation. Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained civilians, access for independent monitors to detention sites, and urged regional and international actors to pressure Rwanda to end its support for M23. The investigation revealed multiple detention facilities in Goma and Bukavu where these abuses occurred, highlighting the urgent need for accountability and humanitarian oversight.