Mukwege endorses drc’s icj plea, urges icc to target individual accountability

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former presidential candidate, Denis Mukwege, has voiced his strong support for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s recent submission of a case against Rwanda to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In a statement issued on Sunday, June 28, 2026, Mukwege underscored that this legal step marks a crucial advancement in the pursuit of truth and justice for those affected by the ongoing conflicts in Eastern DRC.

Dr. Mukwege extended his congratulations to the Congolese authorities for initiating this judicial process, which seeks to expose alleged violations of international law attributed to Rwanda.

“We commend the filing of the application with the International Court of Justice by the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals of the DRC,” he stated, referring to the government’s action. “This application denounces violations of international law and human rights allegedly committed by Rwanda directly and through armed groups under its control, including AFDL, RCD, CNDP, and M23/AFC, in the DRC from 1996 to the present day.”

While fully endorsing this proceeding before the United Nations’ highest judicial body for interstate disputes, Denis Mukwege stressed the necessity of activating other judicial mechanisms to ascertain the individual responsibilities of those allegedly involved in international crimes.

“In addition to this procedure initiated before the ICJ, we continue to urge the International Criminal Court to pursue its investigations and prosecutions to establish the individual criminal responsibility of alleged perpetrators of crimes falling under the Rome Statute, prioritizing accountability within military and political command chains,” Mukwege advocated.

The former presidential contender further called upon states to invoke the principle of universal jurisdiction to prosecute individuals suspected of committing international crimes. He also urged the Congolese government to implement a comprehensive national transitional justice strategy.

“Finally, we call on states to exercise the principle of universal jurisdiction, and for the Congolese government to implement a national transitional justice strategy, which must include the establishment of a Special Criminal Tribunal for Congo, as recommended by the United Nations Mapping Report,” the former presidential candidate continued.

For the Nobel Peace Prize recipient, the pursuit of justice remains an indispensable tool for preventing future conflicts and fostering lasting peace within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“It is urgent to establish strong links between conflict prevention, transitional justice, and peacebuilding,” he asserted.

According to Guillaume Ngefa Atondoko Andali, the Minister of State, Minister of Justice, and Keeper of the Seals, who formally submitted this application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, the DRC places its full confidence in this esteemed jurisdiction. The nation, he affirmed, is resolute in its commitment to uphold the rule of law over force, secure justice for victims of crimes perpetrated on its soil, and work towards establishing a just, lasting, and accountable peace.

In the wake of the M23/AFC resurgence and the escalating Rwandan aggression in Eastern DRC, Congolese authorities have consistently maintained that their response will not be confined solely to military and diplomatic avenues. President Félix Tshisekedi has, on multiple occasions, urged the government to bolster its international judicial efforts to secure reparations for damages incurred, prosecute those allegedly responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and meticulously document the systematic plundering of the DRC’s natural resources.