DR Congo: Journalist Attacks Rise Over Ebola Reporting

• Journalists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are experiencing a rise in physical attacks and threats, largely due to their reporting on the Ebola outbreak.
• Jackson Mbusa Vagheni, editor-in-chief of Radio du Peuple Oïcha, was beaten and accused of spreading false Ebola information, forcing him into hiding.
• Journalist Finance Sianga Bilanga was assaulted at Radiotélévision Bafwasende, an attack linked to his Ebola awareness activities, following a previous assault in October.
• Guillaume Munguakonkwa was detained for three days and had his equipment confiscated after reporting on the Ebola virus.
• Other incidents of violence, including an attempted assassination and an assault on multiple journalists at Radio Terra FM, highlight the broader dangers faced by media professionals in the region.

The pervasive fear surrounding the Ebola epidemic, which has become the second-worst on record since its detection in May, has not only led to attacks on medical personnel but also heightened the risks for media professionals striving to combat widespread misinformation.

Journalists operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are facing an alarming increase in physical assaults and threats, a trend that has continued into November. This surge in violence is significantly fueled by a backlash against reporters covering the ongoing Ebola virus outbreak, particularly in the eastern regions of the country. The pervasive fear surrounding the Ebola epidemic, which has become the second-worst on record since its detection in May, has not only led to attacks on medical personnel but also heightened the risks for media professionals striving to combat widespread misinformation.

One stark example of this escalating danger occurred on November 4, when Jackson Mbusa Vagheni, the editor-in-chief of Radio du Peuple Oïcha, a community station in North Kivu province, was brutally attacked. As he departed his office in Oïcha, at least six unidentified individuals assaulted him, resulting in injuries to his leg, arms, and back, for which he sought hospital treatment. Mbusa, who has since gone into hiding and continues to receive telephonic threats, informed the CPJ that his assailants accused him of disseminating false information about Ebola. He explicitly stated that the local populace in Oïcha does not tolerate the awareness-raising initiatives his media outlet undertakes concerning the virus. This Jackson Mbusa Vagheni assault exemplifies the direct risks associated with Ebola reporting.

Another incident, the Finance Sianga Bilanga attack, took place just one day later, on November 5, in Bafwasende, Tshopo province. A group of unidentified youths, armed with machetes, stormed the offices of Radiotélévision Bafwasende (RTBD) and physically assaulted journalist Finance Sianga Bilanga. Ibrahim Mulamba, the station's director, told CPJ that this attack was believed to be linked to Sianga's involvement in Ebola awareness activities. Fortunately, neighbors intervened, preventing serious injury to the journalist. This was not Sianga's first encounter with such hostility; two weeks prior, on October 24, he had been attacked following an RTBD report that disclosed the closure of several local healthcare facilities and the absence of medical staff, who feared threats from residents who perceived the Ebola epidemic as a fabrication.

Beyond these direct assaults, other incidents further illustrate the precarious state of journalist safety in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On July 27, Guillaume Munguakonkwa, a news presenter at Kamole FM in Nyangezi, South Kivu province, was detained for three days in a cell controlled by the intelligence service of the M23 and the Congo River Alliance (AFC). His voice recorder, mobile phone, and notebook were confiscated, all stemming from his production of a report on the Ebola virus. This detention underscores the various forms of intimidation journalists face for their work.

While the CPJ could not definitively link all recent attacks to reporting activities, the pattern of violence remains deeply concerning. On November 3, Zahabu Celemami, director of the YouTube-based news channel Clever Flash TV, faced an attempted assassination at his home in Uvira, South Kivu province. An armed intruder, intending to kill him, pointed a weapon at Celemami, who bravely lunged and seized the firearm. After a struggle, the assailant fled. Celemami subsequently delivered the weapon to local military intelligence, which filed a report reviewed by CPJ, according to Patient Debaba, local president of the National Press Union of the Congo (UNPC).

Further demonstrating the pervasive threats, on November 7, an unidentified individual forcibly entered the offices of Radio Terra FM in Kolokoto, Ituri province. The assailant ordered staff to vacate the premises and attempted to gain access to the studio. During this intrusion, cameraman Mechak Piker and journalists Mungunuti Boaz, Innocent Jackson, and Dominique Ukochi were assaulted. Ukochi sustained an injury to his right foot while attempting to assist his colleagues. The Congolese National Police (PNC) apprehended the assailant, who was scheduled for transfer to the public prosecutor's office on November 10. This Radio Terra FM incident is not isolated; the station had previously been subjected to arson and death threats in February 2023 after it engaged in public awareness campaigns.

These numerous incidents, meticulously detailed in the CPJ DR Congo report, paint a grim picture for media professionals. The environment of fear and violence not only endangers individual journalists but also severely hampers the ability of the press to provide crucial information, particularly on public health crises like Ebola. Protecting DRC media freedom is paramount for the well-being of its citizens, who rely on accurate reporting to navigate complex and dangerous situations.

Lawyers advising media organizations or journalists in DR Congo should be aware of the severe and increasing risks of physical assault and intimidation faced by reporters covering sensitive public health issues like Ebola. This necessitates advising on enhanced security protocols, potential legal recourse for victims, and strategies to protect freedom of the press in volatile environments.

Source: Original reporting via Committee to Protect Journalists