RFI's signal was shut down by the government after it accused the station of "initiating a campaign to demoralise the armed forces."
(JED/IFEX) – On 12 October 2010, Journaliste en Danger (JED) welcomed the return of French public radio station Radio France International (RFI). RFI’s signal was shut down nationwide on orders of the Congolese government on 26 July 2009. The government accused RFI of “initiating a campaign to demoralise the Armed Forces of the DRC.”
JED welcomes this positive development and urges the Congolese authorities to refrain from any future attempts to control the free flow of information.
As the most popular radio station in the country, the shutdown of RFI’s signal deprived millions of listeners of information, which JED highlighted in its February 2010 petition campaign entitled “Release the info, reopen RFI”.
In June, a delegation from the French foreign broadcasting service announced in Kinshasa the opening of a local office with the appointment of an expatriate journalist, and the finalisation of discussions with the Congolese government regarding the restoration of RFI’s signal. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Congolese authorities have made no formal announcement as concerns the restoration of the signal.
