A Paris criminal court on Monday sentenced former Congolese rebel leader Roger Lumbala to 30 years in prison after finding him guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity committed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in the early 2000s.

The ruling is one of the most significant cases brought before French courts under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows the prosecution of serious international crimes regardless of where they were committed.

Human rights groups described the verdict as “historic”, saying it marked a major step toward ending decades of impunity in a region ravaged by conflict for more than 30 years.