Reporters Without Borders (RSF) recently urged the authorities in the Équateur region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to continue dialogue with the media and resolve violations of press freedom in order to ensure journalists can work without the fear of facing harmful reactions.
The dialogue aimed at addressing press freedom issues began on February 17, 2024, when Équateur Governor Bobo Boloko Bolumbu invited journalists to his residence in the provincial capital, Mbandaka. This was after local journalists refrained from covering the governor’s activities in revolt against severe press freedom violations.
Sadibou Marong, the Director of RSF’s Sub-Saharan Africa bureau, appreciated the dialogue and underscored the urgent need for solid commitments to uphold press freedom, saying:
The dialogue initiated by the governor of Équateur province is a first positive signal. Firm undertakings must now be given to respect press freedom in order to ensure that media professionals are free to work without fear of reprisals or interference. The recent attacks against journalists are unacceptable and must not be repeated. The authorities must give a solid undertaking to end all forms of harassment of media professionals.
Local journalists were arrested in Mbandaka earlier, during a demonstration aiming at showing support for Mimi Etaka, the provincial director of the national radio and TV broadcast RTNC, who had been physically assaulted by members of the provincial governor’s bodyguard after she denied broadcasting three of Bolumbu’s decrees.
Conversations around press freedom and the safety of journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo have greatly increased in recent years. According to a report from a human rights watchdog in the country, the Democratic Republic of Congo is ranked significantly low on the global press freedom index. Its legal and institutional environment is portrayed as one of the most adverse for journalists, witnessing common impunity for those infringing upon press freedom.
This article is originally published by Jurist News.