On 20 January, the Pre-Trial Chamber of the Brussels Court of First Instance held a decisive hearing in a case concerning the 1961 assassination of Patrice Émery Lumumba, the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. At this stage, Étienne Davignon remains the last surviving indicted individual. The proceedings represent a rare instance in which a former colonial power confronts individual criminal liability within its own judicial system for acts committed during the colonial period. A decision is expected on 17 March 2026 on whether the case will proceed to trial. On behalf of AfaLab, Geneviève Kaninda (Advocacy & Policy Officer) moderated the press conference held following the hearing, organized alongside the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and convened by Jus Cogens Law Firm and the Lumumba family.
During the press conference, the Lumumba family recalled that “In 2001, Belgium acknowledged its moral responsibility for the assassination of Patrice Lumumba. Today, while recognizing the importance of this first step, we reaffirm that the truth cannot be satisfied with a conclusion that has no legal consequences.” The intervention reaffirmed a core principle: that truth-telling, legal accountability, and institutional responsibility are prerequisites for any credible reparative process. We will continue to follow this case closely and share updates as it develops.
Patrice Lumumba Case: Key Judicial Hearing in Brussels
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