DRC Files Case Against Rwanda at International Court of Justice Over Alleged

THE HAGUE, June 26, 2026 - The Democratic Republic of the Congo has formally instituted proceedings against Rwanda before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing its neighbor of committing serious violations of international law linked to the long-running conflict in eastern DRC.

The application was filed in The Hague by Minister of State and Minister of Justice Guillaume Ngefa, marking a new phase in the dispute between the two countries after years of military, diplomatic and political tensions.

According to the Congolese government, the case seeks a ruling that Rwanda bears international responsibility for alleged violations of several international treaties, including the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) and the Convention against Torture (1984).

Kinshasa argues that civilians in eastern DRC have endured more than three decades of massacres, extrajudicial killings, torture, sexual violence, forced displacement and discrimination, which it attributes to the actions of Rwanda and armed groups allegedly supported or controlled by Kigali.

The Congolese government further alleges that, following the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Rwandan armed forces and allied rebel movements conducted unlawful military operations on Congolese territory, targeting refugee camps, villages and urban centers, resulting in widespread civilian casualties and displacement.

According to the application, these alleged violations continued during the First and Second Congo Wars and subsequent conflicts through the activities of armed groups including the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL), the Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD), the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), and the AFC/M23 movement.

The DRC is asking the Court to declare Rwanda internationally responsible, order the cessation of the alleged wrongful acts, require guarantees of non-repetition and award full reparations to the Congolese state and victims in accordance with international law.

The government said the legal action reflects its commitment to resolving disputes through peaceful means and to seeking accountability through international law while pursuing justice for victims of the conflict.