Laurent-Désiré Kabila

The regime established by the ADFL held no competitive national election before Kabila's assassination and maintained severe restrictions on political activity.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

After the capture of Kinshasa, the new government suspended rival political activities and severely restricted opposition, while centralising executive authority.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Demonstrations were dispersed, activists arrested and sometimes mistreated, and Étienne Tshisekedi was detained and then placed under house arrest in his home village.

State of the evidence

Documented

Kabila ordered Rwandan soldiers to leave; the break with his former allies was followed by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion and the rapid internationalisation of the war.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Human Rights Watch documented large-scale massacres of refugees and civilians committed by the ADFL and Rwandan army during the campaign that brought Kabila to power, with the ADFL under his nominal command.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Command responsibility

Kabila's authorities obstructed international investigations into the massacres of 1996–1997, notably through restrictions on movement and intimidation of investigators.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Human Rights Watch reported that Kabila's ADFL had recruited children during the campaign against Mobutu; RCD officials subsequently acknowledged inheriting child soldiers recruited by Kabila.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility