Jailed editor of DRC newspaper 'not a criminal'

22 Feb 2013 00:00 - Roy Greenslade

The editor of a daily newspaper in the Democratic Republic of Congo has begun serving a six-month jail term after being convicted of criminal libel.

The editor of a newspaper in the DRC, Joachim Gikupa, has been found guilty of 'defaming' a Chinese company. (AFP)

Joachim Diana Gikupa was taken into custody last week. He was charged with defamation after publishing an article in his Kinshasa-based newspaper, La Colombe, in February last year which reported that a Chinese company was selling expired medication.

The company, Gen Taï, denied the allegations and filed a complaint against Gikupa.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on the DRC to release the journalist on bail pending his appeal and argued that the paper was reporting on an issue of public interest.

Mohamed Keita, the committee's Africa advocacy co-ordinator, said: "We urge the DRC to refer matters of defamation to civilian tribunals. Critical journalists are not criminals." – © Guardian News & Media 2012