Amnesty International reported on Tuesday that the March 23 Movement (M23) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has committed human rights violations against Congolese civilians amid ongoing armed conflict that may amount to war crimes.

The organization interviewed 18 former detainees held in detention sites controlled by M23 fighters, who confirmed that they either experienced or witnessed human rights abuses perpetrated by the armed group. These violations include, but are not limited to, the killing of detainees, arbitrary detentions, torture, and inhumane detention conditions. Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa, stated: “M23’s public statements about bringing order to eastern DRC mask their horrific treatment of detainees. They brutally punish those they believe oppose them and intimidate others, so no one dares to challenge them.”

Amnesty International noted that detainees died in M23’s detention sites due to torture or harsh conditions. Testimonies gathered by the organization revealed that M23 members killed two detainees by shooting them and beating them to death with a hammer. Additionally, M23 fighters detained hundreds of individuals in overcrowded and unsanitary cells, denying them access to adequate food, water, sanitation, and healthcare.

Furthermore, those held in M23 detention centers experienced torture, and some died both in custody and after their release. Amnesty International reported that M23 fighters employed various tools to torture detainees, including wooden rods, boards, electric cables, sticks, and engine belts. The organization also stated that M23 fighters arbitrarily arrested Congolese citizens while accusing them of supporting the Congolese authorities or having affiliations with other armed groups, often without providing evidence or informing them of the reasons for their detention.

In addition to the aforementioned abuses, the rebel group conducted enforced disappearances and even demanded ransom payments from the families of detainees to secure their release. These practices are in direct violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which prohibits torture, ill-treatment, murder, and arbitrary detention of civilians. Therefore, Tigere Chagutah demanded the immediate release of all civilians detained by M23 and called for an end to these brutal practices.

Amnesty International has previously raised concerns about the human rights violations committed by M23 in eastern DRC and urged the international community to apply pressure on the parties involved in the armed conflict to cease hostilities and adhere to IHL. These abuses include kidnapping, sexual violence against women and girls, harassment of human rights defenders, and attacks on hospitals. The escalation of violence following the M23’s takeover of the city of Goma in January has led to a refugee crisis and plunged the country into a humanitarian disaster. In April, the United Nations urged Member States to coordinate their efforts and work together to resolve the ongoing conflict in the DRC.