What changed

B100070/2025

B100069/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the case of Jean-Jacques Wondo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

(2025/2510(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 150 (5)150(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas on 13 September 2024 Jean-Jacques Wondo, Belgian-Congolese military expert, was sentenced to death by a military court in Kinshasa for his role in the coup attempt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in May 2024; whereas the main item of the evidence was a 2016 photo of Wondo with the coup leader Christian Malanga; whereas the judges imposed the death penalty on 37 defendants;

having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic Republic of Congo,

B.having whereasregard into Marchthe 2024,statement by the DRCHR/VP governmentspokesperson decidedof to9 reinstateAugust the2024 deathon penaltythe bycondemnation liftingof itsthe 21-yeardeath moratoriumpenalty onin executions;the DRC,

C. whereas the EU allocated 424 million Euro grants to the partnership with the DRC for the period 2021-2024; whereas the EU’s support is also focused on security, police and justice; whereas a 2013 European Court of Auditors’ report considered that the effectiveness of the EU’s 1.9 billion Euro aid to the DRC in the period 2003-2011 had been sorely limited, with less than half of the programmes likely to deliver the intended results; whereas the report criticised the DRC’s inadequate commitment to justice reform;

whereas Jean-Jacques Wondo, a Belgian-Congolese security expert, was arrested and charged in May 2024, following a failed coup d’état in the DRC;

1. Considers that the evidence against Wondo is weak and is concerned about his deteriorating health condition; notes that there are new elements in the case, proving his innocence, and calls on the Court of Appeal to take these fully into account;

whereas Wondo was working in Kinshasa at the invitation of the Congolese intelligence services to advise on institutional reforms;

2. Is worried that the removal of the moratorium on executions together with the inefficient and ineffective justice system, increases the risks of extrajudicial and arbitrary executions by law enforcement officials and security personnel,

whereas he was tried in a military court; whereas he was found guilty of charges including terrorism and conspiracy, and was sentenced to death along with 36 other defendants;

3. Notes that for many years EU policies in the DRC have strongly prioritised the reform of the security forces and the justice sector, aiming at reducing state predation against the population; considers that EU policies have in fact continued to support the extractive character of the DRC’s neo-patrimonial system; finds it unacceptable that the EU has continued to finance a justice system that is still driven by corruption, predation and coercion and constitutes a threat to the physical security of citizens of the DRC, Member States of the EU and other countries; calls, therefore, on the EU to withdraw or reorient its engagement in the DRC;

whereas Wondo has insisted he had no connection to the attempted coup; whereas human rights organisations have stressed that no credible evidence has been presented to link him to the event;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice- President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European External Action Service, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the President, government and parliament of the DRC.

whereas the family of Wondo have expressed concern for his health while he is held in detention in a military prison;

whereas in March 2024 the DRC lifted its moratorium on the use of capital punishment, which had been in place since 2003; whereas subsequently the number of death sentences issued sharply rose;

Expresses grave concern at the sentencing of Jean-Jacques Wondo;

Calls on the authorities in the DRC to immediately overturn the capital punishment sentences handed down to Wondo and the other 36 defendants;

Urges the Congolese Government to ensure the fundamental rights of Wondo and all defendants are upheld, including during the ongoing appeal process; underlines the serious concerns raised at the lack of credible evidence, urges the judiciary to ensure a fair, accessible and independence process;

Recalls that the use of military courts to try civilians is in violation of international and regional human rights conventions to which the DRC is party; urges the authorities to cease the use military courts for civilian cases;

Reiterates the EU’s strong opposition to the death penalty, in all cases and without exception; regrets the lifting of the moratorium in the DRC; urges the President and Government to immediately re-establish an official moratorium on capital punishment and for no executions to take place;

Expresses concern at the intimidation and arbitrary detention of civil society including activists, experts, journalists and political opponents; calls on the DRC authorities to ensure civil society can operate without harassment, and that perpetrators are held to account;

Calls on the HR/VP and Member States to increase engagement with DRC authorities to urge the withdrawal of the death penalty sentence for Wondo and the other defendants;

Calls on DRC authorities to engage with the UN Human Rights Council to implement the recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review, notably to strengthen civil and political rights and address continued impunity for serious abuses;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, and the Government and Parliament of the DRC.