New York, March 17, 2015 – The
Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to respect the
right of journalists to do their work without fear of arrest or harm.
On Sunday, police detained
about 30 individuals at a pro-democracy gathering in the capital, Kinshasa,
according to news reports.
One journalist, freelance
Belgian reporter Alexis Bouvy, said he was assaulted while covering a
demonstration in Goma that protested the mass detentions, the reports said.
"The
media has a vital role to play in ensuring that citizens have access to
information about events taking place around them," said Sue Valentine,
CPJ's Africa program coordinator. "Journalists deserve the protection of
security forces during demonstrations."
These violations come at a
particularly tense time for journalists working in the Democratic Republic of
Congo. In January, authorities blocked Internet and cellphone service, and more
than 40 people were killed during a series of protests over the possible postponement of elections by President Joseph
Kabila, according to news reports. The country is scheduled to hold
presidential elections in 2016.
CPJ
is an independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom
worldwide.
Media
contacts:
Sue
Valentine
Africa
Program Coordinator
Kerry Paterson
Africa
Research Associate
Email:
kpaterson@cpj.org
Peter
Nkanga
West
Africa Representative
Email:
pnkanga@cpj.org
Tom
Rhodes
East
Africa Representative
Email:
trhodes@cpj.org
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