The internal armed conflict continued with the involvement of several African countries and numerous domestic groups. The Government, which controls approximately half of the territory, functioned without a Constitution.
In this harsh context, the judiciary suffered from a lack of independence, in part due to poor infrastructure and resources.
The Court of Military Order, highly influenced by the executive, continued to try civilians, notwithstanding pledges by the President to curtail the practice. Furthermore, this court maintained jurisdiction over matters unrelated to the military.
Some rebel groups reportedly used the judicial system to arrest individuals on false charges to extract money and property from these persons.
Several reports indicated that higher RDC/Goma authorities punished judges who refused to participate in such plots.
Attacks on Justice 2002 – Democratic Republic of Congo [full text, PDF]