“Independent journalism must still be fought for” – Stanis Bujakera on his release

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Dear Friends,

It was with huge relief that we learned on the 19th of March the release of the Congolese journalist Stanis Bujakera. After being reunited with his family and colleagues, he thanked Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for all the campaigning it had waged on his behalf ever since the day of his arrest.

While extremely relieved for the Jeune Afrique’s Kinshasa correspondent, for whom the prosecutor had requested a 20-year prison sentence, we condemn the six-month sentence he received at the end of his trial, as the evidence presented against him was entirely fabricated.

Stanis was convicted of “forging and disseminating” a confidential memo by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s National Intelligence Agency implicating another Congolese intelligence agency in an opposition politician’s murder. It was a wrongful conviction. An investigation by RSF showed that the case was based on entirely spurious claims.

He was released after being sentenced on the grounds that he had already served the sentence while provisionally detained since his arrest on 8 September 2023.

Much needs to be done by President Félix Tshisekedi to defend and promote press freedom in his country, and RSF reiterates its call for the release of all journalists who are arbitrarily detained in the DRC.

We thank you for supporting our fight for a free press and for the right to reliable news and information everywhere in the world.

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REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS (RSF)
Anne Bocandé, Editorial director

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