In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the rebel coalition known as the AFC/M23 is reported to have established a parallel justice system in areas it controls in North Kivu, administering local courts and adjudicating disputes independently of state institutions. The development was documented by humanitarian monitors and regional media and is raising alarm among human rights groups.
According to reports from the field, the parallel system is staffed by militias and former combatants who apply a mixture of customary rules and edicts issued by rebel administrators. Critics say such systems lack due process protections, place ordinary citizens at risk of arbitrary punishment, and further erode the authority of an already fragile state judicial system.
The M23’s consolidation of administrative services, including justice, is part of a longer trend where armed groups attempt to entrench control by providing rudimentary governance. International agencies have urged urgent access for monitors, legal observers and humanitarian actors to assess accountability and protect civilians.
