What changed

B100084/2025

B100065/2025

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

(2025/2510(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)RDC,

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

– having regard to the 2022, 2024 and 2025 Reports of the UN Group of Experts on the DRC, as well as 2024 UN Security Council report,

whereas Jean-Jacques Wondo, a Belgian military expert of Congolese origin, moved to Kinshasa in February 2024 at the request of President Tshisekedi, who offered him a position with the Congolese intelligence agency ANR, to assist the intelligence services with reforms; whereas Jean-Jacques Wondo was arrested in the wake of the coup attempt that took place on 19 May 2024 in Kinshasa, being accused of being the mastermind of the coup attempt;

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

whereas on 13 September 2024 Jean-Jacques Wondo was sentenced to death in Kinshasa despite a huge lack of evidence against him; whereas Wongo’s health situation has deteriorated considerably during his stay in prison;

whereas on 13 September 2024, the Belgian-Congolese researcher and military expert Jean-Jacques Wondo, together with 37 other convicted, was sentenced to death by the Kinshasa military court for ‘attempted coup d'état’ following a trial at first instance marked by serious irregularities; whereas his appeal is currently in progress;

whereas in the wake of the failed coup 37 people in total, among which are 6 foreigners, were sentenced to death by the military court in Kinshasa; whereas the Belgian Foreign Minister has expressed “deep concern” over the verdict emphasising Belgium’s strong opposition to the death penalty and stressing that the right to defence must be respected; whereas the European Union has repeatedly condemned the lifting of moratorium on the death penalty in DRC;

whereas the moratorium on death penalty was lifted due to the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC);

whereas the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights plans to undertake a mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2025;

whereas meanwhile, the M23, a Rwanda and Ouganda-backed armed group, as proven by the UN, is continuing its territorial expansion despite the ceasefire, with the rebels stepping up the recruitment of fighters and cadres to administer the conquered territories, according to January 2025 report by UN experts ;

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whereas UN experts now state that around 4,000 Rwandan soldiers, members of the RDF, are fighting alongside the M23 against the Congolese national army;

Strongly condemns the unjust imprisonment and death sentence of Jean-Jacques Wondo and the limited evidence presented during the trial, and suspects that he may be a victim of an internal vendetta within the Congolese intelligence services;

Expresses its deepest concern about the irregularities surrounding the trial of Jean-Jacques Wondo ;

Demands the DRC authorities to release Jean-Jacques Wondo immediately and unconditionally, as well as all others detained who have been imprisoned and sentenced without factual evidence;

Underlines that civilians should be tried by a civilian court, in accordance with international law, and not by a military court;

Denounces the degradation of the rule of law, human rights and basic democratic principles in DRC and urges President Tshisekedi to intervene;

Reaffirms its strong and unequivocal opposition to the use of the death penalty at all times and under all circumstances; calls on the authorities to immediately re-establish the moratorium;

Calls on the EU delegation in Kinshasa to closely monitor the unprecedented human rights abuses in DCR, to closely follow the case against Jean-Jacques Wondo and to visit him in prison;

Calls on the DRC authorities to uphold their commitments under international human rights law, including the right to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, as enshrined in the Constitution of the DRC;

Urges the Council to adopt sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against the Congolese court and officials in charge of the trial of Jean-Jacques Wondo;

Is deeply concerned by the continuous expansion of the M23 rebels in the East ; Denounces the flagrant violations of the ceasefire by the Rwanda and Ouganda-backed M23, in particular after the capture of Masisi;

Recalls the firm and unequivocal opposition of the European Union to the use of the death penalty at any time and in any circumstances;

Stresses that the rapes and forced recruitments, including of minors, committed by the M23 constitute war crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Government and President of DRC.

Condemns the direct implication of Rwandan army ; calls for Rwanda to immediately remove Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) troops from Congolese territory; calls on the EU and its Member States to suspend their cooperation with the Rwandan army, as well as all funding for it until then;

Underlines more broadly the need to end impunity of those responsible for crimes under international law committed in the DRC from the mid-1990s to the present day, and the need for justice on the part of the Congolese people and the mobilisation of civil society on this issue ;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Government and Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the African Union, and the United Nations Secretary-General.