Military court of appeal succumbs to political interference in Kilwa trial

21 December 2007


Statement

Today’s decision by the military court of appeal in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, not to allow an appeal against the acquittal of nine Congolese soldiers and three employees of Anvil Mining in relation to the Kilwa massacre amounts to a blatant denial of the victims’ right to a fair hearing.

Global Witness and RAID described the decision as the culmination of a pattern of political interference and irregularities designed to protect those responsible for the crimes committed in Kilwa.

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