In DRC, photojournalist assassinated
New York, August 10, 2007— A respected freelance photojournalist in eastern DRC was gunned down on Thursday evening as he returned home from covering a local conference on environmental protection, local journalists told CPJ. CPJ is investigating whether Patrick Kikuku Wilungula—the second journalist killed in Congo’s volatile east this year after Serge Maheshe—was murdered for…
DRC: Jailed reporter released after five days
August 8, 2007 Original Alert: August 7, 2007 Manda Mutombo, Radiotélévision Nationale CongolaiseIMPRISONED Mutombo, the host of a weekly music program on public broadcaster Radiotélévision Nationale Congolaise in the diamond-rich city of Kananga, was released without charge after five days of detention, according to local journalists. After handing Mutombo a few dollars for transportation, a…
In DRC, journalist jailed for not airing politician’s interview
New York, August 7, 2007—Intelligence agents in central DRC have jailed a reporter for failing to air an interview with a local politician, according to news reports and local journalists. Manda Mutombo of Radiotélévision Nationale Congolaise was arrested Friday by Congo’s National Intelligence Agency in the diamond-rich city of Kananga, 674 miles (1,085 km) southeast…
In DRC, journalist in hiding after sentenced to prison without notice
New York, July 19, 2007—Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, convicted a journalist in secret and ordered him to report to prison immediately. He had never been told that he was charged with a crime. On July 5, Pold Kalombo, an editor of the private weekly Le Soft International received a notice…
In DRC, a nationwide pattern of attacks raises alarm
Mr. President, We are writing to express our alarm at a disturbing nationwide pattern of attacks on the news media. Since the arrival of your government on February 24, eight broadcasters were raided by government security forces in connection with their news coverage, and one journalist was killed amid increasingly insecure conditions, according to CPJ research. These events undermine Information Minister Toussaint Tshilombo’s statement on World Press Freedom Day that press freedom is respected in the DRC.
Radio station in DRC shut down for broadcasting `bad French’
New York, June 15, 2007— Intelligence agents in the Democratic Republic of Congo shut down a privately owned radio station for “intoxicating the population” and “broadcasting in bad French.” It was the sixth Congolese broadcaster this year to be raided by security forces over its coverage. Radio Canal Satellite remained off the air today after…
Police in Congo arrest suspects in journalist’s murder
New York, June 14, 2007— Police arrested two suspects today in the killing of a broadcaster for United Nations-sponsored Radio Okapi in the eastern border town of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the station’s journalists told CPJ. CPJ is investigating to determine whether Serge Maheshe was killed because of his work as a…
In DRC, police disrupt media group meeting, assault journalists
New York, June 1, 2007—A journalist remained hospitalized today after police in the central diamond mining town of Mbuji-Mayi disrupted an official meeting of a prominent Congolese media group on Thursday, assaulting dozens of journalists and seizing personal items, according to the press freedom group Journaliste en Danger (JED) and local journalists. François Luboya, the…
DRC broadcaster closed after drawing governor’s ire
New York, May 23, 2007—Authorities in the central diamond mining town of Mbuji-Mayi closed down a private broadcaster on Sunday in connection with comments critical of the provincial governor that aired on two programs last week, according to local journalists and press freedom group Journaliste en Danger (JED). Police sealed the studios of Radiotélévision Debout…
In DRC, reporter suspended after airing dissident general’s interview
New York, May 15, 2007—The broadcast on public radio of an interview with dissident Congolese Gen. Laurent Nkunda led officials in the eastern border town of Goma to indefinitely suspend a reporter last week, according to the press freedom group Journaliste en Danger (JED) and local journalists. This month, CPJ named the DRC one of…