Rebels force radio station off the air
New York, January 31, 2006—Rebel soldiers have forced a radio station in the volatile east of the Democratic Republic of Congo off the air by looting equipment and terrorizing journalists, local press freedom organizations and United Nations radio said. Radiotélévision La Colombe (RTC), the only radio station in the town of Rutshuru, closed on Sunday.…
Critical radio station closed in dispute over music royalties
New York, January 13, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the closure of Radio Mwangaza, a community station in the northern Congolese city of Kisangani, which has aired programs criticizing local authorities. Court officials sealed its studios on January 11 in a dispute over alleged non-payment of music royalties, station director Jean-Pierre Lifoli told CPJ.…
CPJ condemns threats against leading press freedom group
New York, December 13, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces the threatening messages sent to the local press freedom group Journaliste en Danger (JED) a day after it released a hard-hitting report on abuses against journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On December 10, JED President Donat M’baya Tshimanga, Secretary-General Tshivis Tshivuadi, and staff…
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
DECEMBER 2, 2005 Posted December 8, 2005 Patrice Booto, Le Journal and Pool Malebo IMPRISONED Security forces arrested Patrice Booto, publisher of the thrice-weekly Le Journal and its sister publication, Pool Malebo. Booto was detained at a police station in the capital, Kinshasa, according to local press freedom organization Journaliste en danger (JED). On November…
One journalist freed, another still in jail without charge
New York, November 8, 2005—A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo today freed journalist Jean-Marie Kanku on bail after 12 days of detention, press freedom group Journaliste en danger (JED) said. But journalist Patrice Booto, who was detained last week without charge, remains behind bars, JED said. Local journalists raised the detention of both…
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
NOVEMBER 3, 2005 Posted: November 8, 2005 Franck Kangundu, La Référence Plus KILLED—UNCONFIRMED Kangundu, a veteran political affairs journalist at the independent daily La Référence Plus, was shot dead shortly after midnight by unidentified assassins who accosted him at his home in the capital, Kinshasa. The attackers also killed Kangundu’s wife, Hélène Mpaka.
Press conditions worsen nationwide
New York, November 3, 2005—Franck Kangundu, a veteran political affairs journalist at the independent daily La Référence Plus, was shot dead shortly after midnight by unidentified assassins who accosted him at his home in the capital, Kinshasa. The attackers also killed Kangundu’s wife, Hélène Mpaka. The Kinshasa-based press freedom organization Journaliste en Danger (JED) reported…
Editor abducted after publishing corruption allegations
New York, October 31, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by a report that editor Jean-Marie Kanku has been abducted and held for three days by the national intelligence agency (ANR) in Kinshasa. Kanku’s disappearance follows articles in his newspaper L’Alerte that accused ANR boss Lando Lurhakumbirwa of corruption, Journaliste en Danger (JED),…
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
JULY 28, 2005 Posted: August 17, 2005 Jean Pierre Phambu Lutette, La Tolérance IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION The managing director of the small private newspaper La Tolérance was arrested by judicial police, who accused him of “discrediting” a state prosecutor in an article published in his newspaper. Jean Pierre Phambu Lutette was jailed in a cell…