(JED/IFEX) – The following is a 9 August 2001 JED press release: Publication director of twice-weekly La Manchette released Kinshasa, 9 August 2001 François Mada Mbulungu, publication director of the twice-weekly La Manchette, published in Kinshasa, was released on Wednesday 8 August 2001 in the late afternoon. He had been detained since Monday 6 August […]
(JED/IFEX) – The following is a 9 August 2001 JED press release:
Publication director of twice-weekly La Manchette released
Kinshasa, 9 August 2001
François Mada Mbulungu, publication director of the twice-weekly La Manchette, published in Kinshasa, was released on Wednesday 8 August 2001 in the late afternoon. He had been detained since Monday 6 August 2001 in an underground cell at the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Department’s disciplinary body in Kinshasa / Gombe.
The journalist was arrested after responding, that same day, to a summons issued by an
inspector from the Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Criminal Investigation Department.
François Mada gave an oral statement concerning two articles which were published in July 2001. He is being prosecuted for making “libellous and prejudicial accusations” against Mr. Ashur Satar, president of the Lebanese community in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and a Mr. Kamanda, financial administrator-director of the
Maritime Freight Administration Office (Office de gestion du fret maritime, OGEFREM, a state company). In the first article, the journalist accused members of the Lebanese community of sabotaging the Congolese economy. In the second article, he denounced mismanagement at the OGEFREM.
According to information provided by La Manchette’s publisher, the president of the Lebanese community reportedly withdrew his complaint. However, the newspaper is being sued by at least six other plaintiffs, including the state companies OGEFREM and the Air Authority (Régie des voies aériennes, RVA). All of the newspaper’s journalists have abandoned La Manchette’s offices for fear of being arrested at any time.
