(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the decision to defer two journalists to the Court of Military Order. According to RSF’s information, André Ipakala and Modeste Mutinga, editors-in-chief of the dailies “La Référence Plus” and “Le Potentiel”, respectively, were deferred, on 24 March 1999, to the Kinshasa Court of Military Order. They are currently held at […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the decision to defer two journalists to
the
Court of Military Order. According to RSF’s information, André Ipakala
and
Modeste Mutinga, editors-in-chief of the dailies “La Référence Plus” and
“Le
Potentiel”, respectively, were deferred, on 24 March 1999, to the
Kinshasa
Court of Military Order. They are currently held at the military
jurisdiction’s jail. They were arrested on 14 March upon their return
from
Durban (South Africa). They were detained for questioning by the
Airports
Security Agency (Agence de sécurité des aéroports, ASA) at the Kinshasa
airport, had their passports seized and were taken to the headquarters
of
the National Information Agency (Agence nationale de renseignements,
ANR) at
the end of the day. Authorities accuse them of having “contacted the
rebels”
during their stay in Durban, where a forum was taking place regarding
the
situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing together
representatives of the rebel movement and former officials of the regime
of
Marshal Mobutu Sese Seko.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 25 March, 16 March and 15 March 1999. For
previous
information concerning journalists Thierry Kyalumba and Mbakulu Pampu
Diambu, see IFEX alerts of 19 January 1999 and 25 May 1998**
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the President:
nothing
more than exercise their profession as guaranteed by the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ratified by his country
of
Ipakala and Mutinga
Mbakulu
Pambu, are currently being tried by the Kinshasa Court of Military
Order,
and asking that these journalists not be tried by that jurisdiction
Appeals To
Mr. Laurent-Désiré Kabila
President
Presidential Palace
Ngaliema, Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: + 243 88 02120and/or c/o the diplomatic representative of your country:
(in the USA)
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: +1 202 345 2609Mission of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the United Nations
Fax: +1 212 319 8232(in France)
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: +33 1 42 89 80 09(in Canada)
Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Fax: +1 613 747 9152
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
