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Kinshasa. Two Congolese journalists were released after being placed in "arbitrary detention" for four days by a prosecutor in Kinshasa, their AFP television channel reported on Friday.
The two men were arrested on Tuesday during a report on a land dispute in Kinkole, a village on the outskirts of the Congolese capital, implicating a mayor accused of threatening the death of residents, according to Kaly Kalonda of RLTV. They were accused of bad journalistic practice by the magistrate, he said.
"Yolande Kusaya and Cedrick Kidimbu are released, no charges are brought against them by the Kinkole prosecutor," said Kalonda
. and detained in DR Congo ranked 154 out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index of 2017.
The political climate is tense because of uncertainty as to whether the President Joseph Kabila will seek another term with elections on December 23.
In power since 2001, Kabila has faced calls from the United States, France, and Britain to make it clear that he will step down and not show up at the polls. .
Watchdogs for freedom freedom In a separate development, the National Press Union in Congo on Friday announced the boycott of the country's justice minister over remarks deemed "offensive". The union said a six-month embargo would be imposed on Justice Minister Alexis Thambwe starting next Tuesday because of his behavior towards journalists.
Thambwe treated Congolese journalists as "lousy and miserable people who write anything for" Joseph Kasonga Tshilunde, president of the National Press Union of Congo
"His words are offensive, disrespectful, irresponsible and disrespectful, "he added
the minister" does not intend to react "to the announcement, describing it as a" dramatization "
The minister spoke of "some journalists", not all, depending on the source.
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