drc: RSF condemns police brutality against journalists

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

3 September 2003

RSF condemns police brutality against two journalists from "Le Phare"
newspaper, demands release of journalist Guy Kasongo Kilembwe

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

**New case and update to IFEX alerts of 2 September, 29 and 28 August 2003**

(RSF/IFEX) - On 29 August 2003, police officers arrested Guy Kasongo
Kilembwe, editor-in-chief of the satirical newspaper "Pot-Pourri", following
the publication of an article criticising a member of parliament's reported
embezzlement of funds. On 31 August, after being held in police custody for
48 hours, the journalist was transferred to Kinshasa's Penitentiary and
Reeducation Centre (Centre pénitentiaire et de rééducation de Kinshasa,
former Makala central prison).

"Without commenting on the content of the offending article, we condemn all
cases of preventive detention for defamation, which should fall within the
competence of civil courts," RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard said. He
asked that Kasongo be released, presumed innocent, and granted a fair trial.

On 22 August, "Pot-Pourri" published an article in which Kasongo said that
Pius Mwabilu, a member of parliament, had embezzled a sum of money that had
been intended for former parliamentarians. The newspaper alleged that the
money was used instead to launch L'Avenir Group Radio-Television
(Radiotélévision Groupe L'Avenir, RTGA). Mwabilu is also RTGA general
manager and publisher of the daily "L'Avenir". The "Pot-Pourri" article
suggested that each parliamentarian was a co-owner of the station.

RSF condemned Mwabilu's threats against the editor-in-chief of "Pot-Pourri".
He accused Kasongo of having "humiliated [him] in [his] newspaper." The
organisation also condemned his death threats against Tshivis Tshivuadi,
secretary-general of the organisation Journaliste en Danger (JED), on 31
August. Mwabilu also accused JED of being biased and supporting opposition
newspapers.

Following his arrest, Kasongo was first taken to a police station, where he
was interrogated for an hour. After his transfer to the Kinshasa/Gombe
Public Prosecutor's Office, he remained in police custody for two days. On
30 August, he faced off against the plaintiff, Mwabilu, before the examining
magistrate in the case. The next day, he was taken to the former central
prison.

RSF has also condemned the recent police brutality against Tsheke Bukasa and
Désiré-Israél Kazadi, two journalists from "Le Phare" newspaper.

Bukasa was roughed up by police officers and thrown out of Kinshasa general
hospital on 23 August. He had gone to the hospital seeking information on
the death of political opposition figure José Mukenge.

Kazadi was beaten up by police officers on 27 August while covering a
demonstration by political activists who were demanding that Mukenge's body
be handed over to them. The officers assaulted him despite the fact that he
identified himself as a journalist and showed them his press card. According
to Kazadi, one of the officers also threatened him, telling him that someday
he would pay the price for his choice of profession.

For further information, contact Jean-François Julliard at RSF, rue Geoffroy
Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51,
e-mail: [email protected], Internet: http://www.rsf.org

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