Amnesty International has accused M23 rebels operating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo of committing serious human rights violations, including torture, killings, and enforced disappearances. The rights group says the actions may amount to war crimes.
According to a statement on Tuesday, Amnesty researchers interviewed 18 people detained by the Rwandan-backed rebels between February and April. Detainees reported being held in overcrowded, unhygienic cells with little access to food, water, or medical care.
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Witnesses described graphic abuses, including detainees beaten with hammers and tortured with electric cables, engine belts, and wooden sticks. Several said they saw others die in custody due to the harsh conditions or direct acts of violence.
Amnesty further alleged that relatives searching for missing persons were often denied information, amounting to enforced disappearances. The renewed surge in violence began in January, when M23 seized Goma and later took control of Bukavu in South Kivu, displacing hundreds of thousands.
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