A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has sentenced former president Joseph Kabila to death in absentia, convicting him of crimes including war crimes. The charges concern accusations that Kabila has been supporting the M23, a rebel group who have wreaked devastation across the country’s eastern region.

Kabila was convicted by a military court of treason, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, including murder, sexual assault, torture and insurrection. He denied the charges, but did not appear in court to defend himself. The court in Kinshasa ordered his immediate arrest.

Kabila has spent almost two decades in power and only stepped down after deadly protests against him. Since late 2023, he has been residing mostly in South Africa, though he did appear in rebel-held Goma in eastern Congo in May.