DRC: Broadcast journalist arrested
José Feruzi Samwegele, a 33 year-old journalist with the public broadcaster RTNC 2 (Radiotélévision nationale congolaise 2) was arrested at the entrance to network offices in Kinshasa/Lingwala on 3 April 2002 by soldiers of the Congolese Armed Forces (Forces armées congolaises, FAC). He was taken to a jail in Kinshasa/Kintambo run by the Military Detection of Anti-State Activities, Military Intelligence (Détection Militaire des Activités anti-patrie, renseignements militaires, DEMIAP).
IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT - DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
5 April 2002
Broadcast journalist arrested
SOURCE: Journaliste en danger (JED), Kinshasa
(JED/IFEX) - José Feruzi Samwegele, a 33-year-old journalist with the public
broadcaster RTNC 2 (Radiotélévision nationale congolaise 2) was arrested at
the entrance to network offices in Kinshasa/Lingwala on 3 April 2002 by
soldiers of the Congolese Armed Forces (Forces armées congolaises, FAC). He
was taken to a jail in Kinshasa/Kintambo run by the Military Detection of
Anti-State Activities, Military Intelligence (Détection Militaire des
Activités anti-patrie, renseignements militaires, DEMIAP).
As of midday 4 April, the journalist had not been allowed visitors; nor had
he eaten.
On 5 April, a JED researcher travelled to the DEMIAP jail to visit Feruzi.
Unable to meet with him in person, the JED researcher managed to get a note
into Feruzi's cell. Minutes later, Feruzi answered the JED note.
In his reply, authenticated by JED, the journalist wrote as follows:
"I was arrested at the facilities of RTNC 1 at 11:00 am local time on 3
April 2002 on grounds that one of my visitors had in his pocket an excerpt
from a speech delivered by the [opposition] Union for Democracy and Social
Progress (Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social, UDPS) during
Congolese political negotiations at Sun City in South Africa."
Before being jailed at DEMIAP, the journalist said he was taken to the
Palace of the Nation (Palais de la Nation), seat of the national president
in Kinshasa/Gombe, and to the Marble Palace (Palais de Marbre), home of the
late president Laurent-Désiré Kabila and his family's current home.
Feruzi added that soldiers of the FAC who arrested him believe that his
visitor "had come to give him the UDPS speech so that it could be read on
television." Feruzi ended his note by asking JED to "do everything" to get
him out of jail because his "conditions of detention are deplorable."
JED notes that DEMIAP is one of the jails that does not fall under the
jurisdiction of the republic's official prosecutor and is one that President
Joseph Kabila decided on 8 March 2001 to close.
For further information, contact D. M'Baya Tshimanga, president, Journaliste
en danger (JED), B.P. 633 Kinshasa 1, Democratic Republic of Congo, tel.
+243 99 29 323, +243, 99 29 345, fax: +243 12 21974, e-mail:
[email protected] or [email protected], Internet:
http://www.jed-congo.org
The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of JED.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit JED.
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