(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of Information and Tourism Didier Mumengi, RSF demanded the lifting of the ban on broadcasts of foreign programmes imposed on a number of Congolese radio and television stations. The organisation expressed its concern that these Congolese media may be hit with sanctions. Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general, explained […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Minister of Information and Tourism Didier
Mumengi, RSF demanded the lifting of the ban on broadcasts of foreign
programmes imposed on a number of Congolese radio and television stations.
The organisation expressed its concern that these Congolese media may be hit
with sanctions. Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general,
explained that this ban “represents both an attack on the free circulation
of information and on each individual’s right to be informed.”
According to information received by RSF, on 22 July 1999 the minister of
information sent a letter to a number of private radio and television
stations announcing a ban on broadcasts of foreign programmes. This measure
affects Radio Elikya, which broadcasts certain Radio Vatican programmes,
Raga FM, which broadcasts Voice of America and British Broadcasting
Corporation programmes, and RTKM, which broadcasts the news bulletins of
Radio France Internationale (RFI) and reruns of televised news bulletins of
France 2. The minister defended this decision by explaining that the
schedule of conditions signed between the ministry and the above-mentioned
radio and television stations does not permit the broadcast of such
programmes. Indeed, the schedule of conditions does include such a clause,
but it has not been signed by these radio and television stations. Moreover,
this ban contradicts Articles 50 and 51 of Law N°96-002 of June 1996, which
guarantee “the right to produce, transmit and receive all audiovisual
communication products.”
