DRC: Journalist released on bail after 20 days in detention

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IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT UPDATE - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

28 June 2004

Journalist released on bail after 20 days in detention

SOURCE: Journaliste en danger (JED), Kinshasa

**Updates IFEX alert of 10 June 2004**

(JED/IFEX) - On 26 June 2004, after 20 days in detention, Gustave Kalenga
Kabanda, managing editor of the Kinshasa-based weekly "La Flamme du Congo",
was released by order of the Kinshasa/Gombe High Court's public prosecutor.
The journalist posted bail of 20,000 Congolese francs (approx. US$53).

BACKGROUND:
On 7 June, Kalenga Kabanda was arrested at his residence in
Kinshasa/Ngaliema by judicial police. He was taken in succession to a
detention centre in Kinshasa/Gombe commonly referred to as the "judicial
locker", the detention centre of the Kinshasa/Gombe High Court's public
prosecutor and Kinshasa's Penitentiary and Reeducation Centre (Centre
pénitentiaire et de rééducation de Kinshasa, CPRK, former Makala central
prison).

Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, one of the country's four vice-presidents, accused
the journalist of "residence violation" and spying for unauthorised filming
of construction at his residence in Gemena, a city located in the northern
province of Equateur. Gemena is also home to the Congolese Liberation
Movement (Mouvement pour la libération du Congo, MLC), a former rebel group.

Kalenga Kabanda led a team of seven other journalists who were covering,
between 29 May and 5 June, the return of Senator Jeannot Bemba Saolona to
his hometown after a five-year absence. Bemba Saolona is Bemba Gombo's
father.
During their stay in Gemena, the team filmed various properties belonging to
the Bemba family, including plantations and the worksite of the new
residence being built by the vice-president. They were arrested and taken
into custody in Gemena, where they were held for more than four hours by the
MLC's intelligence services for "filming the Bemba Gombo residence without
authorisation." Cameras, cassettes and other communications equipment were
taken from the journalists.
On 1 June, Kalenga Kabanda appeared before Gemena's prosecutor general, who
accused him of "residence violation". He was taken to Gemena's central
prison, where he spent five days before being granted a conditional release
and permission to return to Kinshasa. After his arrival in Kinshasa, on 7
June, the journalist was arrested again by judicial police officers who
claimed, according to witnesses, to be acting on Vice-President Bemba
Gombo's orders.
For further information, contact D. M'Baya Tshimanga, president, Journaliste
en danger (JED), B.P. 633 Kinshasa 1, Democratic Republic of Congo, tel.
+243 99 29 323, +243 815 13 05 85, fax: +243 88 01 625, e-mail:
[email protected], [email protected], Internet:
http://www.jed-congo.org

The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
JED. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
JED.
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