Democratic Republic of the Congo / Africa

  

Attacks on the Press 1999: Preface

By Philip GourevitchNearly a hundred years ago, in Boston, the Congo Reform Association published a pamphlet by Mark Twain, titled King Leopold’s Soliloquy, A Defense of His Congo Rule (1905). The text is an imagined monologue by the Belgian monarch, delivered as he reads through stacks of literature protesting the systematic murder and mutilation of…

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Attacks on the Press 1999: Enemies of the Press

Each year on World Press Freedom Day (May 3), CPJ announces its list of the ten worst enemies of the press. Those who made the list this year, as in the past, earned the dubious distinction by exhibiting particular zeal in the ruthless suppression of press freedom. They were singled out for their unrelenting and…

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DRC: Editor who reported coup conspiracy faces death

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) regrets that journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to be persecuted because of their work, despite Your Excellency’s promises to respect press freedom. CPJ is particularly concerned about the prolonged detention of Freddy Loseke Lisumbu la Yayenga, editor of the Kinshasa-based private weekly La Libre Afrique.

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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Editor faces death penalty for reporting coup plot

Click here to read CPJ’s protest letter New York, March 13, 2000 — CPJ is deeply concerned for the safety of DRC journalist Freddy Loseke Lisumbu la Yayenga, who faces the death penalty for having reported on a military coup plot against President Laurent-Désiré Kabila. In the early hours of December 31, 1999, armed soldiers…

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DRC: Systemic repression of media documented

Your Excellency: On the occasion of the United Nations Security Council open briefing on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), scheduled to take place in New York on January 24, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) wishes once again to express its grave concern over the appalling press freedom situation in the DRC.

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Democratic Republic of the Congo: Jailed journalist freed

December 30, New York — The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release from prison today of Joseph Mbakulu Pambu Diana, a Congolese broadcast journalist who had been in jail since 1998 for allegedly collaborating with rebel forces during their occupation of the town of Matadi. In early August 1998, rebels from the Congolese Rally…

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Journalist Pambu Diana passes one year in prison without trial

Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is once again writing to protest the continued detention of journalist Joseph Mbakulu Pambu Diana, who has now spent one year in prison without trial.

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Democratic Republic of Congo: Despite peace accord, no release in sight for two jailed journalists

July 29, 1999 His Excellency Laurent-Désiré Kabila President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Ngaliema, Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo Your Wxcellency, CPJ is greatly alarmed by the continued imprisonment of journalists Mbakulu Pambu Diambu and Godefroid Kiangwe Buleya. With the Lusaka peace accord now in place, we demand the immediate and unconditional release of…

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118 Journalists Imprisoned in 25 Countries

Washington, D.C., March 25 — The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported today in its annual worldwide study of press freedom that at least 118 journalists were in prison in 25 countries at the end of 1998, and 24 journalists in 17 countries were murdered during the year in reprisal for their reporting.

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