La Voix des Sans Voix for Human Rights (VSV) recently welcomed the release of Gédéon Kabamba Miteo, Congolese journalist and former communications advisor to the governorate in Mbuji-Mayi, Kasaï-Oriental province. According to the human rights organization, the Mbuji-Mayi prosecutor’s office noted that the journalist’s file was empty, thus justifying his release.
However, the VSV does not relax its vigilance and continues to demand the immediate and unconditional release of journalist Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, arrested since September 8, 2023. While Gédéon Kabamba tastes freedom, Stanis Bujakera remains in prolonged detention at the prosecutor’s office in high authority of Kinshasa-Gombe.
This release comes in a context where the Congolese media landscape is deprived of one of its essential elements. Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, deputy publication director of Actualite.cd and correspondent for Jeune Afrique, is a respected and talented journalist. His prolonged detention raises concerns about press freedom in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The VSV, while welcoming the release of Gédéon Kabamba, calls on the Congolese authorities to put an end to the exploitation of the security services and the judicial system for arbitrary arrests and detentions. It underlines the importance of guaranteeing the freedom and security of journalists in the exercise of their profession.
Pending the release of Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala, it is imperative to support Congolese journalists and ask the authorities to respect their fundamental rights. Freedom of the press is an essential pillar of democracy and must be preserved in all circumstances. The national and international community must remain vigilant and mobilized to uphold these principles.