A French court has sentenced Roger Lumbala, a former rebel leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo, to 30 years in prison for complicity in crimes against humanity during the Second Congo War. This "historic" verdict marks the first such conviction by a national court under the principle of universal jurisdiction.

• Roger Lumbala was accused of orchestrating atrocities, including rape, sexual slavery, torture, and murder, committed by his rebel group, the Rally of Congolese Democrats and Nationalists (RCD-N), in northeastern DR Congo from 2002 to 2003.
• The trial, which began last month in France, heard harrowing testimonies of victims, predominantly from the Nande and Bambuti Pygmies ethnic groups, who were targeted for allegedly siding with a rival faction.
• Organizations such as TRIAL International, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, and Minority Rights Group lauded the verdict as a significant development for justice, particularly for the indigenous Bambuti people.