(JED/IFEX) – On 21 September 2002, in the early afternoon, Franklin Moliba-Sese, Radio Okapi correspondent in Gbadolite (north-western Democratic Republic of Congo), was released following a decision by the Gbadolite public prosecutor. He had been jailed by officials of the Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC), an armed rebel group. Radio Okapi is operated by […]
(JED/IFEX) – On 21 September 2002, in the early afternoon, Franklin Moliba-Sese, Radio Okapi correspondent in Gbadolite (north-western Democratic Republic of Congo), was released following a decision by the Gbadolite public prosecutor. He had been jailed by officials of the Mouvement de Libération du Congo (MLC), an armed rebel group. Radio Okapi is operated by the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC).
Moliba-Sese was arrested in Gbadolite on 13 September by order of MLC officials. He was accused of preparing a report, broadcast on Radio Okapi, about the difficult living conditions of child soldiers who are currently being demobilised. According to MLC officials interviewed by Radio Okapi, the journalist reportedly interviewed child soldiers without prior authorisation and disclosed military information. In his report, the journalist interviewed a child soldier who complained that he was denied food and mistreated.
