Journalist Watchdog Claims M23 Rebels Held Detainees in Shipping Containers

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the Rwanda-backed M23 used metal containers as detention cells in 2025, citing witness accounts, satellite imagery and photographic evidence.

The containers, located at the provincial legislative assembly compound in Goma, were described as sites of “inhumane” and “degrading” treatment.

According to RSF, as many as 80 detainees were held in a single container at a time, without light or ventilation. Prisoners were reportedly allowed outside only once per day, received minimal food and were subjected to routine beatings.

Witnesses described extreme temperature swings - suffocating heat during the day and cold at night - with some deaths reported. Survivors were often detained for weeks before being transferred elsewhere. At least two journalists were among those held.

M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka rejected the allegations, accusing RSF of “spreading unfounded reports” and “disinformation.”

The group has not provided further detail on detention practices in areas under its control.

RSF said M23 has tightened its control over media operations in Goma since seizing the city in 2025. This includes restrictions on language used by journalists to describe the group’s presence, reflecting broader efforts to shape information flows.

The targeting of journalists underscores the risks facing media workers in eastern Congo, where intimidation and violence were already widespread prior to M23’s advance.

Eastern Congo remains one of the most fragmented conflict zones globally, with more than 100 armed groups active. M23 emerged as the most potent force after capturing key cities during an offensive early last year.

Despite a truce brokered by the United States and Qatar, fighting continues. The conflict has displaced at least 7 million people, illustrating the scale of the humanitarian crisis.