Journalists are harassed and abused in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but for the first time in five years none has been jailed this year for doing his or her job, according to a movement called Journalist in Danger.
The secretary general of the movement, Tshivis Tshivaudi, noted ”a current trend towards a distinct improvement in press freedom” and he urged President Joseph Kabila to consolidate it by giving orders that no journalist be arrested at least before next year’s planned general election.
Tshivaudi nevertheless recalled that since January four reporters have been arrested and detained for several hours, four have been beaten up, seven subjected to pressure and three harassed.
Tshivaudi also called on the government to release Bamporiki Chamira, a journalist who has been in jail in Kinshasa for 14 months after being charged with having taken part in ”a plot to destabilise institutions”.
The vast DRC emerged last year from a five-year war. — Sapa-AFP