On August 4, 2025, police arrested freelance commentator Espérant Kasongo in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following a defamation complaint by gospel musician and pastor Mike Kalambay.
Kasongo was taken to the prosecutor’s office in the city’s Kalamu municipality, his lawyer, Fail Nico Mbikayi, told CPJ. He was transferred to Kinshasa’s Makala central prison on August 6.
The complaint against Kasongo was over his comments on a broadcast on the privately owned Six TV, Mbikayi told CPJ. In the broadcast, a copy of which CPJ reviewed, Kasongo said that Kalambay and record label Maajabu Gospel did not like Moïse Mbiye, another pastor and gospel musician.
CPJ’s April 2025 calls to Kalambay and government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya went unanswered.
Kasongo was released on August 11, 2025.