Despite widespread protests and numerous appeals for his release, Congolese journalist Stanis Bujakera, who was arrested by the police on September 8 in Kinshasa, has been moved to prison as of Thursday, according to information obtained from his media outlet.
Stanis Bujakera faces allegations, notably of propagating false rumors and disseminating inaccurate information related to an article published by Jeune Afrique, which implicated military intelligence in the assassination of former minister Chérubin Okende. These charges were reported by the Congolese news site Actualité.cd, where Bujakera serves as the deputy publishing director.
The article in question, published at the end of August, was not authored by Stanis Bujakera but relied on a confidential note claimed to be from the civil intelligence services (ANR). Congolese authorities subsequently labelled this note “false.”
Bujakera was apprehended on the evening of September 8 at Ndjili airport in Kinshasa, as he was preparing to travel to Lubumbashi in the southeast. He spent three days in police custody before being presented to the prosecution on Monday.
“He has been transferred to Makala prison,” confirmed Patient Ligodi, the head of Actualité.cd, to AFP. Mr. Bujakera’s defense team has submitted a request for provisional release to the prosecution and is currently awaiting a decision, according to Me Grace Tshiashala, who spoke to AFP.
The arrest of Stanis Bujakera has prompted concerns from several embassies, particularly as it comes just over three months before the general elections scheduled for December 20. Prominent Congolese figures and press freedom advocacy groups have intensified their protests and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Stanis Bujakera.
Sarah Jackson, deputy director of Amnesty International’s East and Southern Africa program, asserted, “The authorities must drop the false charges against Stanis Bujakera and release him immediately and unconditionally.” She further described this incident as evidence of a large-scale attack on human rights in the DRC under the leadership of President Félix Tshisekedi.
The Congolese organization RAJEC (Rally of Journalists for the Emergence of Congo) issued a warning on Wednesday, threatening street protests if Mr. Bujakera was not released within 72 hours. They view his arrest as an autocratic attempt to silence dissenting voices and hinder independent journalism.
During a press briefing, Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya acknowledged the situation, stating, “It is not good news that a journalist is going to prison,” and expressing hope for a swift resolution. He also emphasized that freedom of the press is a fundamental democratic value while cautioning against disinformation or exploitation of this freedom.