Democratic Republic of Congo

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the arrest of a journalist and a television editor of Congolese National Radiotelevision (Radiotélévision nationale congolaise, RTNC). According to RSF’s information, Yvette Idi Lupantsha and Risasi Risonga, journalist and television editor with RTNC, respectively, were arrested on 19 December 1998 at 4:30 p.m. (local time). The journalist was taken to […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the arrest of a journalist in Matadi (Lower-Congo region). According to RSF’s information, , president of the local division of the Congolese Press Union (Union de la presse du Congo, UPC) and journalist with the private station Radio-télévision Matadi (RTM) was arrested at the end of November 1998. He is […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 19 October 1998, Jean Marie Kanku, journalist, administrator and finance director of the independent newspaper “L’Alerte”, was arrested in Kinshasa and detained at the Kalamu police headquarters. There, he was interrogated about an article appearing in the 6 October edition of the newspaper, titled “Gaetan Kakudji in the Arms of Z’Ahidi Ngoma […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 3 September 1998, Belmonde Magloire Missinhoun, a citizen of Benin and owner of the financial newspaper “La Pointe Congo”, was last seen when he was arrested shortly after a traffic accident with a military vehicle in Kinshasa and transported to an unknown location. Police investigations into the journalist’s disappearance have yielded no […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – In late August 1998, Loseke Lisumbou, editor of “La Libre Afrique,” was arrested by military security forces and detained at the National Security Council (CNS) headquarters in connection with an article published in the newspaper reporting on the “flight” from the country of Security Advisor and Chief of the CNS Mr. Kazadi. Although […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – According to CPJ sources, Awazi Kharomon, Lubamba Lutoko, and Bébé Ediya, journalists with the Kinshasa daily “Le Soft”, were released from detention on 7 November 1998. **Further to IFEX alerts of 9 November 1998 and 6 November 1998**

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 5 November 1998, Kileba Pok Ames, editor-in-chief of the independent newspaper “Le Soft”, went into hiding following the same day’s arrest of “Le Soft” journalists Awazi Kharomon, Lubamba Lutoko, and Bébé Ediya. Three other “Le Soft” employees, Ricky Milunda, Buka, Freddy, and a visitor, Kenda Waling, were also arrested with the journalists […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 16 October 1998, Paulin Tusumba Nkazi A Kanda, editor of the independent newspaper “Le Peuple”, was arrested at his home for publishing a list of 29 people who allegedly financed the current rebellion in the country. Tusumba is being detained at the Kinshasa police station and has appeared before the appeals court […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the arrest of seven journalists and closing of a newspaper this past week. According to RSF’s information, on 5 November 1998, three journalists from the “Le Soft” daily were arrested in Kinshasa. Chief editor Awazi Kharomon, reporter Lubamba Lutoko and intern B.B. Ediya were forcibly taken by the Rapid Intervention […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 3 November 1998, Gustave Kalenga, editor of the independent newspaper “La Flamme du Congo,” was arrested by ANR security agents. The arrest is believed to be in connection with an article published in the 20 October 1998 edition of the newspaper, criticising Cabinet Director of the Chief of State Abdoulaye Yerodia. That […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – On 29 October 1998, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Bayard Kabago Mbaya, a journalist with the newspaper “La Flamme du Congo”, was taken into custody by a squad of heavily armed men dressed in civilian clothes. The journalist was then transported to Kin prison in Maziere where he is currently being held. HASH(0x8de2648)

(RSF/IFEX) – On 25 September 1998, RSF reported that on 18 September seven journalists were arrested in Kinshasa. According to RSF’s information, Semy Dieye, Lokota, Nkuku Mengui, Delo Demazou, Pronto and two others — all journalists with the official radio station Voix du peuple — were arrested and taken to the Détection militaire des activités […]

(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against Censorship, on 17 September 1998 called on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to investigate reports of calls by Congolese President Laurent Kabila for the killing of Tutsis. If press reports of Kabila’s statements prove to be accurate, ARTICLE 19 will be urging the Tribunal to […]

(RSF/IFEX) – According to information made available by RSF on 27 August 1998, on 20 August, Hugh Nevill, special correspondent for Agence France Presse (AFP), and Lara Santoro, an Italian journalist with the international magazine “Newsweek,” were questioned at the Kasumbalesa border station (on the Zambian border) as they were speaking by satellite telephone with […]

(IFJ/IFEX) – Three members of the World Television Network (WTN) crew, Michael Pohl, Michael Higgins and Jonathan Kolionio, have been released from detention. They were well treated but held incommunicado for 2 days. They were detained on the express orders of the Minister of Information. According to the IFJ, there are no more members of […]

(IFJ/IFEX) – According to IFJ, journalists with World Television News (WTN) have been detained by police and representatives from their embassies are being denied access to them. Photographers from Associated Press have been arrested and members of Reuters Television have been detained and beaten. In addition, the Minister of Information has confiscated film from reporters. […]