(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the sentencing of two journalists to prison terms with no parole. According to RSF’s information, on 3 April 1999, Gustave Kalenga, editor-in-chief of the weekly “La Flamme du Congo”, and Kasonga Tshilunde, editor-in-chief of the newspaper “L’Eveil”, were sentenced by the Lagombe court (Kinshasa), respectively, to eight and ten month […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the sentencing of two journalists to prison
terms with no parole.
According to RSF’s information, on 3 April 1999, Gustave Kalenga,
editor-in-chief of the weekly “La Flamme du Congo”, and Kasonga Tshilunde,
editor-in-chief of the newspaper “L’Eveil”, were sentenced by the Lagombe
court (Kinshasa), respectively, to eight and ten month prison terms with no
parole and to pay damages and interest, respectively, of 50,000 and 300,000
Congolese Francs. This sentencing follows the filing of a complaint by
Minière de Bawanga (MIBA), a diamond mining company, and by Trudon Katende,
the company’s chief executive officer, who launched a civil suit. The
journalists had accused Katende of being involved in misappropriating funds
and robbing a large quantity of diamonds. The sentence, announced in the
absence of the two defendents, was followed by an arrest order.
According to RSF, the conditions of a fair trial were not met in this
instance. The sentence was announced without the defence or the journalists
having been given the opportunity to be heard.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the President:
proceedings and the heaviness of the fines imposed on the journalists,
without commenting on the details of the case
journalists
are not imprisoned and that they be given a new fair and impartial trial
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 2609and/or c/o the diplomatic representative of your country:
(in the USA)
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: +1 202 345 2609Mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the United Nations
Fax: +1 212 319 8232(in France)
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: +33 1 42 89 80 09(in Canada)
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: +1 613 747 9152
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
