(JED/IFEX) – The following is an 18 February 2003 JED press release: Kinshasa, 18 February 2003 RCD/ML rebels impose official censorship of newspapers in Beni In an official letter dated 17 December 2002, a copy of which was sent to Journaliste en danger (JED), Mr. Delphin Paluku, provincial director of the Congolese Intelligence Agency (Agence […]
(JED/IFEX) – The following is an 18 February 2003 JED press release:
Kinshasa, 18 February 2003
RCD/ML rebels impose official censorship of newspapers in Beni
In an official letter dated 17 December 2002, a copy of which was sent to Journaliste en danger (JED), Mr. Delphin Paluku, provincial director of the Congolese Intelligence Agency (Agence Congolaise des Renseignements, ACR, the RCD/ML rebel movement’s intelligence services, based in Beni, North-Kivu province), announced the imposition of advance censorship of all newspapers.
The letter states: “…we hereby inform you that as of this date, each new issue of your respective newspapers must be sent to the ACR North-Kivu Bureau prior to publication. The newspapers will be subject to advance censorship prior to their delivery to readers. Your failure to respect this order will lead to prosecution.”
JED, a non-governmental organisation committed to the defence and promotion of press freedom, protests against this practice, which harkens back to another era. JED wishes to remind Mr. Mbusa Nyamuisi, RCD/ML leader and partner of the Kinshasa government, that the Democratic Republic of Congo has ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 19 of which guarantee freedom of opinion and freedom of expression. The imposition of advance censorship represents a clear denial of the right to inform and be informed.
JED urges the Kinshasa government to convince its RCD/ML allies to reconsider the introduction of this anachronistic measure.
Three Congolese newspapers – “Les Coulisses”, “Le Millénaire” and “La Colombe Plus” – are printed in Kampala and distributed in Beni.
Tshivis T. Tshivuadi
Secretary-General
D. M’Baya Tshimanga
President
