(CJFE/IFEX) – The CJFE is strongly protesting the confiscation of travel documents and the ban on travel enacted against Modeste Mutinga Mutuishayi, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper “Le Potentiel”, president of the non-governmental organisation Médias pour la Paix (Media for Peace) and chairman of the Campagne pour la paix durable en République démocratique du Congo […]
(CJFE/IFEX) – The CJFE is strongly protesting the confiscation of travel
documents and the ban on travel enacted against Modeste Mutinga Mutuishayi,
editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper “Le Potentiel”, president of
the non-governmental organisation Médias pour la Paix (Media for Peace) and
chairman of the Campagne pour la paix durable en République démocratique du
Congo (Campaign for a Lasting Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo).
This action follows a history of official harassment against Mutinga, who
was imprisoned for fifteen days in March 1999 after being arrested at the
N’djili Airport in Kinshasa upon his return from Pretoria, South Africa,
where he was attending a peace conference on the conflict in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) (see IFEX alerts of 26 March, 25 March, 16 March and
15 March 1999). More recently, on 11 August, Mutinga was detained and
interrogated by agents of the Agence Nationale de Sécurité (National
Security Agency, ANS). He was released that same evening (see IFEX alerts of
12 August and 11 August 1999).
According to information from “Le Potentiel” and the International League
for Human Rights, on 11 September, Mutinga was prevented from leaving the
country to participate in a Wilton Park Conference in England on good
governance, after which he was scheduled to attend a series of
CJFE-sponsored meetings in Canada. Security agents working for the general
director of migrations seized Mutinga’s passport and travel documents at the
N’djili Airport, but then returned them the next day, clearing him for
travel. However, Mutinga was again prevented from departing. On 12
September, ANS agents seized his passport on orders from their superiors,
stating that the journalist had not been authorised to travel. Mutinga was
in possession of all the necessary documentation and permissions to travel
to England and Canada.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
politically motivated action, constituting a violation of Article 12 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that
“Everyone shall be free to leave any country, including his own”
without interference
Appeals To
His Excellency Laurent-Désiré Kabila
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Ngaliema, Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: +243 88 02120 / +1 202 234 2609
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
