(WAN/IFEX) – In a 13 November 2000 letter to President Laurent-Désiré Kabila, WAN and the World Editors Forum expressed their serious concern at the seizure of the French weekly “Jeune Afrique – L’Intelligent”. According to reports, issue number 2073 of “Jeune Afrique – L’Intelligent” was seized by government authorities and Kinshasa police in October. The […]
(WAN/IFEX) – In a 13 November 2000 letter to President Laurent-Désiré Kabila, WAN
and the World Editors Forum expressed their serious concern at the seizure of the French weekly “Jeune Afrique – L’Intelligent”.
According to reports, issue number 2073 of “Jeune Afrique – L’Intelligent” was seized by government authorities and Kinshasa police in October. The action was apparently taken to prevent the distribution of criticism of President Kabila that appeared in the readers’ letters section of the weekly.
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on the press, which include the kidnapping and mock execution of journalist André Tshowa Mbuisha in October, and the sentencing to two years in jail of editors Emile-Aimé Kakese Vinalu and Jean-Pierre Mukuna Ekanga in September (see IFEX alerts of 24 October, 14, 13 and 7 September, 30, 29, 28, 16 and 14 August, 12 July and 27 June 2000).
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– reminding him that the seizure of “Jeune Afrique – L’Intelligent” is a clear breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international conventions, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which his country is a party. The covenant states: “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print”
– calling on him to ensure that “Jeune Afrique – L’Intelligent” is immediately permitted to circulate freely and that all intimidation of the press is halted
– urging him to do everything in his power to ensure that in future his country fully respects its international obligations to freedom of expression
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:His Excellency Laurent-Désiré Kabila
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Ngaliema, Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of Congo
C/o Embassy in USA
Fax: +1 202 234 2609Please copy appeals to WAN.
