Belgian Diplomat to Stand Trial for Role in 1961 Assassination of Congo's Lumumba
Belgian diplomat faces trial over 1961 DR Congo leader killing
Summary
Etienne Davignon, the sole surviving suspect in the 1961 assassination of Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba, has been ordered to stand trial in Belgium on war crimes charges. The case marks a landmark moment in Belgium's long-delayed reckoning with its colonial past in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lumumba was killed shortly after Congolese independence, and the trial represents one of the first judicial attempts to hold Belgian officials accountable for their role in the murder.
Preview
Related dispatches
- EL PAÍS Jul 1, 2026
Inside the International Criminal Court's prison: an atypical jail for those accused of crimes against humanity
- RT Jun 29, 2026
Poland shifts stance on Nazi reparations from Germany – media
- EL PAÍS Jun 29, 2026
Two secrets of Paris unveiled: heritage restoration revives Keith Haring and Richelieu's tomb
- RT Jun 25, 2026
Why offering the West a say on reparations is a trap
- RT Jun 25, 2026
Russia backs African push for colonial reparations – Medvedev
- RT Jun 24, 2026
Third state quits ICC
- RT Jun 9, 2026
It’s 2026. France repeals its slavery decree
- BBC WORLD Jun 9, 2026
ICC suspends top prosecutor after investigating misconduct allegations
- RT Jun 9, 2026
ICC chief prosecutor suspended over sexual misconduct allegations
- FRANCE 24 Mar 17, 2026
Belgium to Put Former Diplomat on Trial Over Lumumba Assassination