DRC: Three journalists from private television station harassed and detained in Kinsasha
On 15 March 2004, cameraman Robert Kadima Baruani, assistant cameraman Milla Dipenga and reporter Eric Ambago were harassed and detained briefly by a group of about 10 police officers at the Wagenia building in Kinshasa/Gombe. In addition, the journalists' equipment was confiscated. The three journalists work for Radiotélévision Kin-Malebo (RTKM), which broadcasts from Kinshasa. According to JED's sources, the RTKM crew had gone to the building to cover an illegal expropriation.
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IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
23 March 2004
Three journalists from private television station harassed and detained in
Kinshasa
SOURCE: Journaliste en danger (JED), Kinshasa
(JED/IFEX) - On 15 March 2004, cameraman Robert Kadima Baruani, assistant
cameraman Milla Dipenga and reporter Eric Ambago were harassed and detained
briefly by a group of about 10 police officers at the Wagenia building in
Kinshasa/Gombe. In addition, the journalists' equipment was confiscated. The
three journalists work for Radiotélévision Kin-Malebo (RTKM), which
broadcasts from Kinshasa.
According to JED's sources, the RTKM crew had gone to the building to cover
an illegal expropriation based on counterfeit parcellary documents. Upon
their arrival at the scene, the journalists noticed that officers from the
national police were acting at the request of a woman named Valérie Ahuada
Te Litho and José Endundo Bononge, the Congolese minister of public works'
wife.
The journalists were detained for close to three hours and were subsequently
released. Upon their release, their equipment was returned.
JED notes that there has been an increase in the number of land disputes and
expropriations in the capital, and these incidents are often considered
newsworthy by the local media. The organisation also notes, however, that
every time journalists have tried to report on these increasingly common
situations, certain people have tried to prevent them from freely going
about their work. Given this state of affairs, JED urges the interior
minister and chief inspector of police to launch an investigation to
identify and punish the police officers responsible for this unacceptable
behaviour, as well as their superiors.
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 81513 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 is the sole responsibility of JED.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit JED.
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