Republic of Congo / Africa

  
CPJ board member Clarence Page, right, speaks  at a panel Wednesday organized by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights in partnership with CPJ in Washington, D.C. (CPJ/Rachael Levy)

First US-Africa summit short on press freedom, other human rights

Top African and U.S. leaders are meeting next week in Washington in a first-of-its-kind summit focused on African development. But critics argue the summit is flawed in design, overlooking human rights such as freedom of expression and barring civil society actors from bilateral discussions.

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Obama's Young African Leaders Forum in Washington touched on press freedom. (America.gov)

Obama tells Africa forum ‘no reason’ for press restriction

One out of 10 delegates participating this week in U.S. President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Forum was a journalist. The forum, a U.S. initiative meant to spark discussions on the future of Africa in a year when 17 countries on the continent are celebrating 50 years of nationhood, did not overlook freedom of the press, as I witnessed in…

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In Republic of Congo, another mysterious fire

A mysterious fire in Republic of Congo this week destroyed property belonging to President Denis Sassou Nguesso. The origin of the fire was not officially determined, recalling a similar murky blaze in January, which led to the death of journalist Bruno Ossébi.

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A French lawsuit challenges the assets of Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang, Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso, and Gabonese President Omar Bongo. (AFP)

Ossébi’s byline missing as sensitive case moves forward

A French judge on Tuesday authorized an anti-corruption group to pursue a complaint that questions how the leaders of three oil-rich, central African nations amassed their personal assets. One byline was absent in news media coverage: Bruno Ossébi, an online Congolese columnist and one of the few local journalists who had covered the sensitive issue.…

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Congolese government reacts to CPJ report

The government of the Republic of Congo reacted over the weekend to last week’s CPJ special report looking into the unsolved death of Franco-Congolese online journalist Bruno Jacquet Ossébi. We welcome the government’s interest in the case and take note that an official spokesman did not dispute our findings. 

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