Background Briefing

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Attacks on Journalists and the Media

Assaults and threats against journalists and media outlets

Journalists were attacked and threatened in the following incidents during the months of April and May 2006:

  • On April 24, members of the Republican Guard (also known as the Guardes Specials de Securité Présidentiele, GSSP) in Kisangani, northeastern Congo, beat Anselme Masua, a journalist with Radio Okapi who had entered an army camp to investigate the integration of rebel combatants into the national army. Masua had identified himself clearly at the camp entrance before entering the grounds.1
  • On May 18, unidentified assailants abducted and beat state television reporter Ricky Nzuzi in Lubumbashi. Nzuzi, who was on his way to work, got into a vehicle that he took to be a taxi. The assailants took him to a location outside of town, beat him, and then left him in the bush after holding him for many hours.2
  • On May 22, approximately ten agents of the special police in plainclothes stormed the Christian television station Radio Télé Message de Vie. They beat four technicians and destroyed or confiscated essential broadcasting equipment, making further broadcasts impossible. Radio Télé Message de Vie had broadcast a church service conducted by Pastor Fernando Kutino, who is highly critical of the current political process. Kutino himself was arrested following the service (see below).3
  • In mid May, Kabeya Pindi Pasi, a television journalist and president of the National Press Union in Congo (UNPC), received anonymous death threats after reporting alleged human rights abuses by Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba and combatants of his Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC). Bemba is currently campaigning for election as president. After receiving the threats, the journalist fled the country.4 

Detention of journalists

Government officials and other powerful persons dissatisfied with press coverage frequently charge journalists with such offenses as criminal defamation, insulting the head of state or the government, and spreading false information, rather than pursue civil remedies against them. This practice tends to restrict legitimate freedom of expression and freedom of the press, as it intimidates journalists and discourages open and honest criticism of government policy and the conduct of officials.  The following journalists have recently been or are still in detention:

 

  • Kazadi Kwambi Ksumpata was arrested in April 2006 on criminal defamation charges, and is currently held at Kinshasa Central Prison. The charges are based on an article he wrote for the weekly Lubilanji Expansion alleging mismanagement of funds at the Protestant University of Congo, a private university. Arthur Twishimanga Kaputut, editor of Lubilanji Expansion,was also detained for three days in April. 5
  • Jean Louis Ngalamulume, editor of L’Eclaireur, was arrested in January 2006 and held for two months on charges of insulting an official after he published an article criticizing the official for incompetence and tribalism in the way he distributed land at Mount Amba, near Kinshasa. Jean Pierre Pambu Lutete, editor of La Tolérance, was arrested and held for a month after alleging that another official had favored persons of one ethnic group in distributing land at Mount Amba.6
  • Patrice Booto, editor of Le Journal and its supplement, Pool Malebo, has been in Kinshasa Central Prison since November 2005, when he published an article saying that President Joseph Kabila had given U.S.$30 million to Tanzania for its education system at a time when his government was in a payment dispute with Congolese teachers. On May 30, 2006, Booto was found guilty of insulting the head of state and the government, but acquitted of the charge of publishing false information.  He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment (he was freed on the basis of time served) and a U.S.$500 fine.7 The prosecutor has appealed the decision.

The murder of Franck Ngyke and Hélène Mpaka

On November 2, 2005,four armed men murdered journalist Franck Ngyke of La Référence Plus and his wife Hélène Mpaka outside their Kinshasa residence as the couple were returning home. According to the couple’s children, the attackers said that they had come to kill Ngyke, and they took no items of value except two mobile phones. Ngyke was said to have been close to the deputy secretary-general of President Kabila’s political party and, according to fellow journalists, may have been investigating a story potentially damaging to some politicians.8 Four suspects have been arrested, but no trial has yet been scheduled.9 


[1] Journaliste En Danger, “La garde républicaine passe à tabac un journaliste à Kisangani,” Press release, April 24, 2006; Human Rights Watch telephone interviews with representatives of Journaliste En Danger, May 24 and June 1, 2006.

[2] Committee to Protect Journalists, “DRC: Attacks on the press rise in run-up to elections,” Press release, May 23, 2006.

[3] Comité des Observateurs des Droits de l’Homme (CODHO), “RD Congo : Réquisition illégale du matériel de la Radio Télé Message de Vie,” Press release, May 24, 2006.

[4] Human Rights Watch telephone interview with representative of Journaliste En Danger, May 24, 2006. See also “Président de l’Union des journalistes Congolais: Menacé par le MLC, Kabeya Pindi Pasi en danger de mort,” Le Potentiel (Kinshasa), May 31, 2006, [online] http://www.africatime.com/rdc/nouvelle.asp?no_nouvelle=259731&no_categorie=4 (retrieved May 31, 2006).

[5] Human Rights Watch telephone interviews with representatives of Journaliste En Danger, May 24 and June 1, 2006; Journaliste En Danger, “Le directeur d’un hebdomadaire libéré après 72 heures d’incarcération,” Press release, April 21, 2006.

[6] Journaliste En Danger, “Un journaliste obtient une liberté sous caution, un autre attend la décision du parquet,” Press release, April 3, 2006; Journaliste En Danger, “L´editeur-directeur du journal ‘La Tolérance’ a été libéré sous caution après 33 jours de détention,” Press release, April 6, 2006. 

[7] Journaliste En Danger, “Condamné à six mois de prison ferme, Patrice Booto est liberé à condition de payer 500$ amende dans les 8 jours,” Press release, May 30, 2006. His trial started at the State Security Court (Cour de sûreté de l’Etat). When the State Security Court was abolished in February 2006, it was transferred to a regular civilian tribunal in Kinshasa. 

[8] Journaliste En Danger, “Franck Ngyke: Le mystère. Rapport d’enquête sur l’Assassinat du journaliste Franck Ngyke Kangundu et de son épouse Hélène Paka,” February 14, 2006; Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture, “Appel Urgent, Lutte contre l’impunité,” February 28, 2006.

[9] Human Rights Watch telephone interview with representative of Journaliste En Danger, May 24, 2006.


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