Media & freedom of expression

DRC: Journalists Imprisoned under Kabila

2001-12-13, Issue 46

http://pambazuka.org/en/category/media/4762

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Twenty-five journalists have been imprisoned because of their work under Joseph Kabila, according to Journaliste en Danger 2001 annual report.

PRESS RELEASE - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

10 December 2001

Twenty-five journalists have been imprisoned because of their work under
Joseph Kabila

SOURCE: Journaliste en danger (JED), Kinshasa

(JED/IFEX) - The following is a JED press release:

Kinshasa, 10 December 2001

Twenty-five journalists have been imprisoned because of their work under
Joseph Kabila

On Monday 10 December 2001, Journaliste en danger (JED), a Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) based non-governmental organisation that works
towards the defence and promotion of press freedom, presented its 2001
Annual Report on Press Freedom during a press conference held at the
organisation's headquarters. This year's report is titled, "The press
freedom situation under Joseph Kabila".

The report, the organisation's fourth since its inception in 1998,
highlights the fact that twenty-five journalists have been sent to prison,
for various periods of time, for reasons linked to the exercise of their
profession. Only one journalist remains imprisoned today, Frédéric Kitengie,
a Johannesburg-based sports correspondent for Radio France Internationale
(RFI). He is officially accused of having poorly managed US$600,000, which
the then information minister, Raphaël Ghenda, received from deceased former
president Laurent-Désiré Kabila in 1998, towards the purchase of equipment
for the public television channel RTNC (Radiotélévision nationale
congolaise). The journalist is actually blamed for interviewing Mr. Moise
Katumbi, president of the Congolese football team Le Tout - Puissant
Mazaembe, in Johannesburg. Katumbi is the brother of Mr. Katebe Katoto, a
declared candidate for the DRC presidency.

Overall, under the younger Kabila's regime, JED has logged forty-nine
attacks on press freedom. They can be divided as follows: one journalist
currently imprisoned, 10 journalists incarcerated for various periods of
time who are now free, 14 journalists detained for questioning, five
physical assaults on journalists, eight cases of threats or harassment, four
cases of administrative, economic or judicial pressure, and seven cases of
obstructions to the free circulation of information, both nationally and
internationally.

Compared to the three years under Laurent-Désiré Kabila, it appears that the
press freedom situation has improved under his son's governance. Of the 80
registered cases of attacks against press freedom in 2000, 42 involved the
imprisonment of journalists for various periods of time. In 1999, JED's
monitoring service logged 113 cases, of which 53 involved the loss of
liberty. In 1998, JED noted 73 cases of attacks on the right to inform and
be informed, of which 43 cases involved the loss of liberty.

For further information, contact D. M'Baya Tshimanga, president, Journaliste
en danger (JED), B.P. 633 Kinshasa 1, Democratic Republic of Congo, tel.
+243 99 29 323, +243, 99 29 345, fax: +243 12 21974, e-mail:
direction@jed-congo.org, alertes@jed-congo.org, Internet:
http://www.jed-congo.org

The information contained in this press release is the sole responsibility
of JED. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
JED.
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