DRC: Congolese photojournalist held secretly in Rwanda for the past week
On 5 July 2004, Cesar Balume Wetemwami, a photojournalist and president of the North Kivu Photographers Association in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was arrested by Rwandan military security agents in the Rwandan city of Gisenyi, which lies on the border with the Congolese city of Goma. Balume was first detained by customs officers as he was crossing into Gisenyi. According to witnesses, the photojournalist was questioned for over two hours at the border station. Following his interrogation, he was handed over to Rwandan soldiers. Balume is being held by military personnel at a secret location.
IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community
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ACTION ALERT - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO/RWANDA
15 July 2004
Congolese photojournalist held secretly in Rwanda for the past week
SOURCE: Journaliste en danger (JED), Kinshasa
(JED/IFEX) - On 5 July 2004, at around 3:00 p.m. (local time), Cesar Balume
Wetemwami, a photojournalist and president of the North Kivu Photographers
Association (Association des photographes du Nord Kivu, APHONOKI) in eastern
Democratic Republic of Congo, was arrested by Rwandan military security
agents in the Rwandan city of Gisenyi, which lies on the border with the
Congolese city of Goma.
According to JED's information, Balume was first detained by customs
officers as he was crossing into Gisenyi. According to witnesses contacted
by JED, the photojournalist was questioned for over two hours at the border
station. Following his interrogation, he was handed over to Rwandan
soldiers. Balume is being held by military personnel at a secret location.
The official motive for the photojournalist's arrest is unknown, but
witnesses who were arrested at the same time as Balume told JED that he was
questioned about his "ethnic origins" and his "relations with the Kinshasa
authorities." Customs officers also told JED that he is suspected of being
"a spy in the service of Kinshasa and the [Rwandan militia group]
Interahamwe."
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to the president:
- expressing concern over Balume's treatment
- urging him to guarantee Balume's safety, disclose the location where he is
being held and state the reason for his arrest
- asking him to allow the photojournalist to receive visits from his family,
his lawyers and human rights activists during his detention
- demanding Balume's immediate release if it turns out his arrest is linked
to his professional activities
APPEALS TO:
President Paul Kagame
Office of the President
Kigali, Rwanda
Tel: +250 84085 / 84087 / 83358
Fax: +250 84390
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
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 29 323/345, fax: +243 88 01 625, e-mail: [email protected],
[email protected], Internet: http://www.jed-afcentre.org
The information contained in this action alert is the sole responsibility of
JED. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
JED.
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