(JED/IFEX) – On 11 February 2003, in the early afternoon, journalist Jules Tambwe Itagali was arrested by officers from the Congolese National Police’s Special Services branch. The journalist, who works for “Uhuru”, a Kinshasa-based newspaper that appears twice weekly, was arrested at the offices of the National Electric Company (Société nationale d’électricité, SNEL). Itagali was […]
(JED/IFEX) – On 11 February 2003, in the early afternoon, journalist Jules Tambwe Itagali was arrested by officers from the Congolese National Police’s Special Services branch. The journalist, who works for “Uhuru”, a Kinshasa-based newspaper that appears twice weekly, was arrested at the offices of the National Electric Company (Société nationale d’électricité, SNEL). Itagali was viciously beaten up at the time of his arrest. The officers then took him to the Special Services’ cells located in the Kin-Mazière building, in Kinshasa/Gombe.
Itagali was finally released at around 5:00 p.m.(local time) that same day, but only after a senior Special Services official had threatened to kill him. Police confiscated the journalist’s camera, mobile phone and dictaphone.
The Special Services were reportedly upset with Itagali because he took photographs of police officers trying to take away SNEL Secretary-General Tokwahulu Aena at her office, in the presence of many company employees.
In its 11 February edition, “Uhuru” newspaper, quoting Aena, said that the SNEL had accused the wife of the Special Services commander, Colonel Raus Chalwe, of having presented false documents in an attempt to expropriate one of the company’s buildings.
JED condemns the Special Services officers’ arrest and beating of Itagali. The organisation notes that the journalist was doing nothing more than carrying out his professional duties at the time of the incident. With regards to the death threats against Itagali, JED will hold the Special Services responsible should anything happen to the journalist. The organisation also demands that the journalist’s confiscated possessions be returned to him immediately.
