THE EStates in the Great Lakes region have adopted an important legal framework for judicial cooperation since the 1970s. However, these agreements are very little implemented, even though the implementation of regional agreements is necessary to enable strengthening judicial systems and thus contribute to the stability of the region.
Photo credit: Pexels – EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA
For around thirty years, the Great Lakes region has been marked by major political crises, internal and regional conflicts which have caused thousands of deaths and large population displacements.[1].
Countries in the Great Lakes region suffer from various forms of cross-border crime, such as illegal management and trafficking of natural resources, human rights violations including sexual violence, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, which can lead to l’instabilité en raison de l’impunité des auteurs de ces crimes.
The perpetrators of the most serious crimes travel and settle in neighboring states, leading, there too, to cross-border crime. To ensure the repression of human rights violations, DR Congo, Burundi and Rwanda are required to cooperate in order to effectively fight against impunity. Criminal judicial cooperation involves the collaboration of national, international and regional jurisdictions to combat crime.
A relatively well-provided legal framework
At the international level, by ratifying the Geneva Conventions of 1949, States in the region are required to respect the principle aut dedere aut judicare. This obligation requires the State in whose territory the alleged perpetrator of a crime is to extradite him (aut dedere)or to judge him (aut judicare).
In addition, the United Nations Conventions against transnational organized crime, there corruption and the enforced disappearances provide a broad legal framework for international cooperation regarding these specific crimes and have been signed and ratified by the three States of interest to us.
Concerning the instruments of the Great Lakes region, a regional Convention was adopted with the aim of governing international judicial cooperation between Burundi, Rwanda, DR Congo and Tanzania. it's about the Judicial Convention of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) as well as its Protocol relating to daily mutual legal assistance, both adopted in 1975.
More recently, during the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in 2006, the States of the region adopted the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region. This general Pact has ten Protocols, including one relating to the judicial cooperation. This Protocol has two parts: one on cooperation in investigations and prosecutions, the other on extradition. There extradition procedure allows a foreign State to obtain from another State the surrender of an accused or convicted person.
En février 2013, onze pays, dont les trois en question, ont signé à Addis-Abeba, parrainé par l’ONU. Selon ce document, les pays signataires s’engagent, entre autres, à ne pas héberger ni protéger les personnes accusées de crimes de guerre, de crimes contre l’humanité ou de crimes de génocide. Fin 2016, a été créé à Nairobi, le Judicial Cooperation Network of the Great Lakes region (RCJGL) afin de répondre aux engagements de l’Accord-Cadre de 2013. Cadre sur la paix, la sécurité et la coopération, parrainé par l’ONU. Selon ce document, les pays signataires s’engagent, entre autres, à ni héberger ni protéger les personnes accusées de crimes de guerre, de crimes contre l’humanité ou de crimes de génocide. Fin 2016, a été créé à Nairobi, le Judicial Cooperation Network of the Great Lakes region (RCJGL) in order to meet the commitments of the 2013 Framework Agreement.
Although some examples judicial cooperation can be advanced between the three States, they do not make it possible to respond to the extent of cross-border crime. Indeed, impunity remains the rule, and the establishment of responsibilities, the exception.
The pitfalls of judicial cooperation in the Greater Region–Lakes
- States adopt agreements but do not execute them
Generally speaking, regional instruments aim to provide economic and social development states and populations. In this sense, to have a real impact on the daily life of citizens, these instruments must be implemented. International organizations, such as the CEPGL, are not directly responsible for implementing the instruments; this mission is reserved for the signatory states.
Thus, regional cooperation is an area in which state sovereignty est particulièrement importante. En matière de coopération judiciaire, un État peut refuser une demande d’extradition ou de mise en application du principe aut dedere aut judicare, s’il estime que sa souveraineté est violée ou si ses lois ne le permettent pas.
Nevertheless, the regional organization can offer support for the implementation of the instruments, via assistance mechanisms, advocacy mechanisms, compliance mechanisms, monitoring mechanisms or even dispute resolution mechanisms. For example, there is a regional monitoring mechanism of the Framework Agreement for Peace, Security and Cooperation for DR Congo and the region.
Contrairement à la Convention judiciaire de la Communauté Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs de 1975 et à son protocole, l’article 30§1 de la Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, allows you to enter the International Court of Justice in case of dispute. To ensure effective judicial cooperation, one of the solutions could be the creation of a jurisdiction by the CEPGL, or the possibility of seizing an already existing jurisdiction.
- National laws do not take into account regional agreements
Instruments adopted at the regional level must be applied at the national level in order to achieve legal and practical effects. Often, this Implementation depends on the constitutional and legal regimes of each country. To facilitate regional judicial cooperation and make it effective, CEPGL member states must adopt harmonized national laws.
Cependant, la lecture des dispositions nationales des États montre que certains ont des textes antérieurs à la Convention judiciaire de 1975 et au Protocole de 1975, ce qui peut poser des problèmes dans l’exécution des demandes. En l’occurrence, le droit national de la RD Congo s’appuie toujours sur the 1886 extradition decree and does not take into account the Convention and its Protocol signed subsequently.
It is therefore important d’harmoniser les différentes législations nationales pour permettre une coopération judiciaire efficace et mutuellement avantageuse. Tout d’abord, l’harmonisation faciliterait l’exécution des demandes et éviterait les complications qui peuvent survenir lorsque les lois nationales sont différentes. Enfin, elle renforcerait la confiance mutuelle entre les États membres et faciliterait la résolution des problèmes transfrontaliers.
However, States may have different legal systems, legal cultures and priorities en matière de coopération judiciaire. Il peut donc être difficile de trouver un terrain d’entente et parvenir à un consensus sur les questions spécifiques liées à la coopération judiciaire. L’harmonisation peut prendre du temps et nécessiter des ressources importantes.
- Abolition of the death penalty: DR Congo still under moratorium
Although the peremptory norms of international law do not require the abolition of the death penalty, since l’affaire Soering, portée devant la Cour européenne des droits de l’Homme, la présence de la peine de mort dans l’arsenal État est devenue un obstacle à la coopération judiciaire, car elle est en contradiction avec le right to life. Il est de la responsabilité des États de respecter et de garantir le droit à la vie. Par conséquent, les États doivent s’abstenir d’extrader ou de transférer des personnes vers des pays où elles risquent de subir une violation de leur droit à la vie.
In DR Congo, the death penalty is still applied à certains crimes, bien qu’elle ait été abolie par les législateurs rwandais et burundais, elle entrave donc, l’efficacité de la coopération judiciaire. En juin 2023, la RD Congo n’avait pas encore ratifié le Second Optional Protocol relating to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aimed at abolishing the death penalty. Although the death penalty was suspended in DR Congo since 2003, Congolese courts continue to hand down death sentences, but the sentence is automatically commuted to life in prison.
Certains pays refusent, dès lors, d’extrader des personnes soupçonnées d’avoir commis des crimes internationaux graves vers la RD Congo car la peine de mort est toujours en vigueur dans sa législation. En l’occurrence, le Rwanda, abolitionist country since 2007, considers the death penalty as a reason for refusing the extradition request.
- Prison conditions which do not allow effective judicial cooperation
Judicial cooperation can be affected by modern human rights issues, notamment lorsqu’il est prouvé que l’État qui demande l’extradition, ne dispose pas de conditions carcérales appropriées.
According to Master Mulenda and Master Banza, respectively lawyer at the International Criminal Court and member of the permanent commission for reforms of Congolese law, prison conditions en RD Congo sont lamentables. Les prisons sont souvent surpeuplées, manquent de nourriture et d’eau potable, et les prisonniers n’ont pas accès à des soins médicaux adéquats. Les conditions de vie dans les prisons sont, la plupart du temps, insalubres et les prisonniers peuvent être soumis à des physical and sexual violence. Les organisations de défense des droits de l’homme ont signalé des cas de torture, de détention prolongée sans procès équitable et de conditions inhumaines dans les prisons congolaises[2]. THE Acat report reports similar conditions within the Burundian prison services.
Par conséquent, l’extradition vers ces États est entravée lorsque des motifs sérieux de violation des droits humains sont avancés. Les pays membres de la CEPGL devraient, dès lors, améliorer leurs conditions carcérales pour faciliter la coopération judiciaire en matière pénale.
The need for effective judicial cooperation for the stability of the region
Although political commitments are expressed regarding judicial cooperation in the region, their execution is not satisfactory. This failure fuels l’impunité des chefs militaires et autres supérieurs hiérarchiques accusés de crimes internationaux qui bénéficient d’une protection dans leur propre État ou dans les États voisins. Il existe une nécessité accrue de coopération judiciaire entre les pays de la région, en particulier en ce qui concerne les demandes d’extradition et d’assistance judiciaire, aux niveaux national, régional et international[3].
Il reste encore beaucoup à faire politiquement et juridiquement pour lutter efficacement contre l’impunité et traduire en justice les auteurs de crimes, notamment en ce qui concerne violences sexuelles et les violences à l’encontre des femmes. La coordination et la coopération judiciaire sont d’autant plus importantes quant aux enquêtes sur les crimes internationaux compte tenu de l’ampleur des répercussions de ces crimes in societies.
Serious crimes present serious political, legal and institutional challenges, but real progress can be achieved if mutual cooperation and trust develop among the States of the Great Lakes region. There Justice & Peace Commission calls on States to work jointly at the judicial level, thus the countries could strengthen their relations and allow the advent of a certain stability in the region. Unimplemented instruments harm the reputation of the regional organization concerned and the credibility of the international system as a whole. This is why Belgium and its citizens are concerned by the importance of active and effective cooperation. Furthermore, the repression of international crimes would improve citizen confidence in their governments, security services and judicial institutions, would strengthen relationships of trust and collaboration between neighboring States and contribute to the stability of the region.
Louise Lesoil.
[1] Conflicts, development and views on the future of the DRC: words from North Kivu – Lo Spiegone
[2] In the prisons of the Democratic Republic of Congo, “hellish living conditions” (lemonde.fr)
[3] Judicial cooperation and human rights | OSESG-GL (unmissions.org)
