A cameraman was assaulted by police officers as he attempted to interview residents of a local housing project.
(JED/IFEX) – Trésor Nduaya, a cameraman for the privately-owned Canal Congo Television (CCTV) based in the capital, Kinshasa, was assaulted by officers of the Congolese national police (PNC) on 16 June 2009 as he attempted to interview residents of a local housing project that was being demolished.
CCTV is owned by Jean Pierre Bemba, leader of the opposition Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC).
Nduaya had gone to the Maluku port in Kinshasa to cover demolition operations ordered by the town’s mayor. After being granted authorisation by a PNC officer posted at the site, the cameraman was interviewing area residents when a group of police officers turned up and began threatening him, saying: “You’re working for the opposition television and you’re going to use those images to discredit the authorities in this country!” For several hours between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. (local time), the officers proceeded to punch and hit Nduaya, eventually stripping him of his clothes. They also took whatever money he had on him (about US$16) and damaged his camera.
Nduaya was finally released at about 9:00 p.m. and put into a taxi to be dropped off in downtown Kinshasa.
