(CPJ/IFEX) – On 3 March 1999, National Information Agency (ANR) agents interrogated Pomydor Muboyayi Mubanga, editor of the Kinshasa daily newspaper “Le Phare,” for four hours before releasing him. The agents questioned Muboyayi about why the newspaper had recently published articles reporting on actions of the special service of the chief of state. **Updates IFEX […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – On 3 March 1999, National Information Agency (ANR) agents
interrogated Pomydor Muboyayi Mubanga, editor of the Kinshasa daily
newspaper “Le Phare,” for four hours before releasing him. The agents
questioned Muboyayi about why the newspaper had recently published
articles reporting on actions of the special service of the chief of
state.
**Updates IFEX alert of 2 March 1999; for background on previous
detention of Pomydor Muboyayi Mubanga, see IFEX alerts of 26 November,
23 September and 9 September 1997**
Background Information
On 8 September 1997, Muboyayi was arrested at his home by four armed and
uniformed men. Authorities gave no official explanation for the arrest.
The arrest seemed to be in connection with “Le Phare”‘s publication on 5
September of an article that reported on President Laurent Kabila’s wish
to create a new elite or “special division” presidential guard similar
to that of former President Mobutu.
In a letter to Kabila on 15 September, CPJ asked that the government
make public the reasons for Muboyayi’s arrest and called for Muboyayi’s
immediate and unconditional release if his arrest stemmed from his
journalistic work.
Muboyayi appeared before an examining judge on 17 September and the
charges against him were made public. He was charged with spreading
false news and inciting ethnic hatred. He faced up to two years in
prison if found guilty on the first charge.
On 19 November, Muboyayi was released.
