In recent developments, Patrick Muyaya, Minister of Communication and Media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed that the government is keeping a close eye on the case of journalist Stanis Bujakera who got arrested earlier this week. While Muyaya expressed a measure of empathy towards Bujakera, he stressed the need to uphold the separation of powers, thereby implying that the government would need to wait and watch how the judiciary processes this case. Actualite.cd reported Mayaya’s comments and also indicated that Bujakera had since been transferred to different detention facilities.
Bujakera, a renowned journalist who has worked for various media outlets in the DRC like Actualite.cd, Jeune Afrique and Reuters, was taken into custody following his report in Jeune Afrique. He was investigating the suspicious murder of former Transport Minister Chérubin Okende, who was part of the political opposition and exploring the potential involvement of the DRC’s military intelligence in the murder. The authorities have accused him of propagating false information and confiscated his belongings, including his phone and laptop. They also attempted to delete and deactivate Bujakera’s social media account on X (formerly Twitter), as confirmed by his team who are managing the account post-arrest.
In response to Bujakera’s arrest, Jeune Afrique, along with various journalist and human rights groups, have called his detention an abuse of power and demanded his immediate release. They include notable names such as the World Association of News Publishers and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Angela Quintal, the Africa program coordinator for CPJ, reiterated that immediate and unconditional release of Bujakera was necessary.
Bujakera’s arrest follows the DRC’s enactment of a new law that regulates press and journalism within the country a few months ago. This law, according to CPJ, criminalizes digital reporting and adds further restrictions to reporting while authorizing criminal sentences for violations. There have also been increasing international concerns over press freedom and journalist safety over the past few years, with the UN calling for increased protections. The situation in the DRC has been particularly alarming according to a report published by a human rights watchdog in the DRC, which outlines an array of incidents including physical assaults, arrests and shutdowns of media organizations.