刚果一家军事法院裁定九名士兵群体强奸罪名成立,其中包括一名军官被控煽动这次攻击。
马特威尔中校星期一被裁定反人类罪罪名成立,判处20年监禁。
检察官指控他命令他的军人在新年元旦攻击东部的菲齐村。
目击者说,士兵强暴了50多名妇女,还对村庄发起了掠夺和抢劫袭击。
据信这是刚果民主共和国军队指挥官第一次被定罪强奸罪。
人权组织指责士兵在东部地区凌辱和虐待平民,政府在东部地区试图严控民间武装组织和反政府组织。
A Congolese military court has convicted nine soldiers of mass rape, including an army officer accused of instigating the attack.
Lieutenant Colonel Kibibi Mutware was found guilty of crimes against humanity Monday and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Prosecutors accused him of ordering his troops to attack the eastern village of Fizi on New Year’s Day.
Witnesses say the soldiers raped more than 50 women in addition to pillaging and looting the village.
This is believed to be the first time a commanding officer has been convicted of rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Human-rights groups have accused soldiers of abusing and brutalizing civilians in the country’s east, where the government is trying to rein in militia and rebel groups.