(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the imprisonment of a journalist in Kinshasa. **Updates IFEX alert of 6 April 1999** According to RSF’s information, Gustave Kalenga, the editor-in-chief of the weekly “La Flamme du Congo”, was detained for questioning at his residence on the night of 25 to 26 April 1999. The next day, he was […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the imprisonment of a journalist in Kinshasa.
**Updates IFEX alert of 6 April 1999**
According to RSF’s information, Gustave Kalenga, the editor-in-chief of the
weekly “La Flamme du Congo”, was detained for questioning at his residence
on the night of 25 to 26 April 1999. The next day, he was transferred to the
Makala prison. On 3 April, Kalenga had been sentenced to an eight-month
prison sentence with no parole and fined 500,000 CFA francs (US$810) for
damages and interest by the Lagombe court (in Kinshasa). This sentencing
follows the filing of a complaint by Trudon Katende, president of the
diamond mining company Minière de Bawanga (MIBA). Kalenga had written an
article in June 1998 denouncing the “witchhunt” undertaken by the new
president against employees linked to the company’s previous leadership.
Furthermore, according to RSF’s information, Kalenga’s trial was not carried
out in a fair and impartial manner.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the President:
need for a trial review
that
international human rights bodies consider the passing of prison sentences
for violations of press laws, in this instance “slander”, as
disproportionate penalties to the prejudice suffered by the victim. As such,
in a 14 July 1992 document, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
underlined that as a negative sanction for the expression of one’s opinion,
detention constitutes one of the most reprehensible means of imposing
silence, and represents, as such, a gross violation of human rights. This
explains why today, no democratic state imposes prison sentences in press
matters
detained
Congolese journalists. Thierry Kyalumba, Joseph Mbakulu Pambu and Oscar
Kangoa are also currently incarcerated for having exercised their right to
inform (see IFEX alerts of 31 March , 26 March and 19 January 1999)
released
Appeals To
His Excellency Laurent-Désiré Kabila
President of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Presidential palace, 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.
