Faith Nyasuguta
In a major legal development, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights has ruled that it has full authority to hear a case filed by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) against Rwanda. This ruling, delivered on June 26, 2025, rejected Rwanda’s arguments that the court lacked jurisdiction and dismissed all preliminary objections raised by Kigali.
This means the court, based in Arusha, Tanzania, will move ahead with a full hearing into Congo’s accusations that Rwanda has been backing the M23 rebel group and committing serious human rights violations in eastern DRC. The conflict in this region has caused immense suffering: according to Congo’s leaders, over 7,000 people have died just this year and more than 7.8 million people have been forced to flee their homes, making it one of the world’s largest displacement crises.
Congo first brought this case to the African Court in October 2023, claiming that since 2022 Rwanda has deployed troops in eastern Congo, supported the M23 rebels, and carried out actions that violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The DRC’s complaint includes allegations of massacres, sexual violence, forced displacement and destruction of vital infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
Rwanda, in its defense, argued that Congo’s claims were unreliable because they relied too heavily on press reports and should not be heard by the court. Rwanda also said the court was not the right place to handle what it sees as a politically sensitive issue between two countries. However, the court’s panel of eleven judges unanimously disagreed, saying they have full legal power to hear the case under the African Charter.
The ruling has been welcomed by Congo’s government and supporters of stronger human rights enforcement in Africa. It marks a significant moment for the African Court, which rarely handles cases directly between two states. This means it could set a precedent for how serious interstate disputes over human rights are handled within the continent’s own legal systems, rather than being left entirely to international courts outside Africa.
Rwanda now has 90 days to respond formally to Congo’s accusations, and Congo will have another 45 days to reply. After that, the court will hear both sides in detail and issue a final, binding judgment.
Congo is asking the court not only to rule that Rwanda must withdraw any troops from its territory but also to order Kigali to stop supporting the M23 rebels, pay reparations and cover all legal costs linked to the case.
This decision does not mean Rwanda has been found guilty. It simply means the court accepts the case and will hear all the evidence. For the millions affected by violence in eastern Congo, it offers a small sign of hope that the continent’s highest human rights court can help deliver accountability and justice where it is urgently needed.
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