Global Human Rights NGO, the Amnesty International have demanded for the immediate release of journalist Stanis Bujakera who is currently detained by the Congolese authorities.
Bujakera has spent his fifth night in custody since Friday when he was arrest on accusation of publishing false information relating to the assassination of former Transport Minister Cherubin Okende.
Amnesty International have since joined a host of local and international community in calling for the Reuters correspondent to be released.
“Congolese authorities must drop disingenuous charges against Bujakera and immediately and unconditionally release him.
“His arrest and arbitrary detention since last week on trumped-up charges is a blatant violation of press freedom” Amnesty International East & Southern Africa Regional Director Sarah Jackson said.
Jackson further described the arrest of Bujakera and several other journalists by President Fèlix Tshisekedi’s government a disrespect to human rights.
“It is yet further evidence of the full-scale attack on human rights, including the rights of journalists, on the part of DRC authorities under President Tshisekedi, especially in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for December.”
