The International Criminal Court has convicted Germain Katanga, a rebel leader from the Democratic Republic of Congo for his part in a vicious attack on a village in eastern Congo where civilians were massacred.

Stephanie Barbour, Head of Office, Amnesty International’s Centre for International Justice said:

“The verdict will provide victims with a measure of some justice and we hope that this will spur the DRC to tackle other cases that have so far escaped justice.”

Katanga was convicted of murder as a crime against humanity, murder as a war crime, deliberately directing an attack on a civilian population, destruction of property as a war crime and pillage as a war crime.

However, he was also acquitted of five counts of rape and sexual slavery as a crime against humanity and a war crime and the use of children under the age of 15 taking direct part in hostilities as a war crime.