Journalist attacked during a political rally in Kinshasa: violence against media professionals alarms press freedom defenders
In a worrying new escalation of violence against journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a journalist was violently attacked during a political rally in Kinshasa. Franck Kalonji, a reporter for the online media Actu7.cd, was taken to task by political activists during a rally of the Commitment for Citizenship and Development (ECIDE) party, led by opponent Martin Fayulu.
According to testimony from Franck Kalonji, his attackers accused him of being a “spy” sent by the presidential party UDPS to cover the meeting. He was saved thanks to the intervention of an ECIDE executive, who extracted him from the dangerous situation and returned his confiscated phone. This incident raises serious concerns about press freedom in the DRC and the safety of journalists covering political events.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. In recent days, several other journalists have also been targeted during political demonstrations. A convoy of journalists accompanying presidential candidate Delly Sesanga to Kananga was attacked by stone throwing, injuring some of them. Three journalists covering an unauthorized protest march in the Kasai region were arrested and detained for several hours, their work equipment confiscated. Another journalist was assaulted at Addis Ababa airport by individuals posing as part of the Republican Guard.
Faced with this increase in violence against journalists, Journalists in Danger (JED), an organization for the defense of press freedom in the DRC, expresses its deepest concerns. JED calls on political actors to call on their activists to calm down and encourages journalists who are victims of these acts of intolerance to take legal action to obtain reparations.
Freedom of the press is an essential pillar of any democracy and respect for it must be defended. Attacks on journalists undermine the public’s right to be informed and undermine trust in democratic institutions. It is therefore essential that the Congolese authorities take immediate measures to guarantee the safety of journalists and end impunity for those who commit these acts of violence.
In conclusion, it is necessary to put an end to the rise in acts of intolerance and physical violence against journalists in the DRC. Freedom of the press must be protected to guarantee a democratic environment where journalists can practice their profession in complete safety and provide independent and objective information to the Congolese population