The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) officials on Tuesday to reopen the station Radio Nsenda Muana and release arrested station journalists.
Angela Quintal, CPJ’s regional director, said that “DRC authorities should reverse the decision to suspend Radio Nsenda Muana and ensure that journalists are not criminalized for criticizing government officials.” She also emphasized how the station plays a vital role in promoting public discourse on issues of collective interest.
The call follows a suspension order issued by Gérard Tshibanda Kabwe, mayor of Mwene-Ditu, home of Radio Nsenda Muana.
On July 28, the station broadcast a program during which listeners called in and criticized Kabwe. The following day, the mayor issued an order suspending the radio’s broadcasts for an indefinite period, accusing it of inciting tribal hatred and encouraging tax non-compliance, which the radio’s managers denied. On July 31, police raided the station, locked its doors, and arrested three journalists.
The central government’s Higher Council of Audiovisual and Communication and the independent Observatory for Press Freedom in Africa (OLPA) both condemned the suspension. OLPA described the decision as an obstruction to the free flow of information and a serious threat to the right to inform and be informed, as guaranteed by Congolese law and international human rights standards. Articles 23 and 24 of the DRC Constitution guarantee the right to freedom of expression and the right to information to all individuals. Consequently, OLPA urged the authorities to reopen the media outlet and demanded the release of all detained journalists.
Station managers also denounced the accusations and the National Press Union of Congo demanded that Kabwe reverse his decision or they would refrain from any covering his administration’s work. However, the mayor responded that he had previously warned the reporters of Radio Nsenda Muana against inciting tribal hatred and making unfounded criticisms of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress party.
The pressure on Kabwe worked in part, as arrested journalists were released on August 4. However, the radio station has remained closed.
The DRC has received multiple international calls to uphold fundamental human rights and protect civil society activists and human rights defenders, particularly amid an armed conflict involving Congolese security forces and the allegedly Rwanda-backed M23 group, which has led to a dire humanitarian situation.
