(JED/IFEX) – On Monday 3 January 2000, Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga, managing editor of the Kinshasa newspaper “La Libre Afrique”, published three times a week, was arrested at his home by a group of soldiers. According to information confirmed on the morning of 7 January, he is being held in solitary confinement at the […]
(JED/IFEX) – On Monday 3 January 2000, Freddy Loseke Lisumbu La Yayenga, managing editor of the Kinshasa newspaper “La Libre Afrique”, published three times a week, was arrested at his home by a group of soldiers. According to information confirmed on the morning of 7 January, he is being held in solitary confinement at the Kokolo military base, seat of the Seventh Military Region.
No official motive has been given to date for the journalist’s detention. Unofficial sources told JED that “Loseke’s arrest follows the issuing of a series of summonses against him by the courts and security services. These follow complaints lodged by a number of persons and departments.” This arrest follows the publication of two articles in the 28 and 31 December 1999 editions of the newspaper (issues 145 and 146). The first article stated that “A general in Katanga (Congolese home province of President Kabila) wants to assassinate Kabila”. The second article was titled: “The Bédié Effect: A mutiny is being organised to prompt Kabila’s flight”. The newspaper offered no confirmed facts in these two articles, only asserting that the information was “obtained by [unidentified] American sources”.
JED views the tone of “La Libre Afrique” as often exceeding reasonable limits of free expression. The organisation states that the newspaper rarely makes a distinction between critical comment and insults.
