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Alert

TV station raided, manager detained after broadcast of controversial news conference

(JED/IFEX) - JED reiterates its urgent call for the release of Daudet Lukombo, Global TV's station manager, who was detained in secret for 48 hours in a cell at the police special services branch known as Kin-Mazière, before being transferred on 13 September 2008 at around 1:00 p.m. (local time) to a cell at the public prosecutor's office in Kinshasa/Gombe.

On 15 September, Lukombo was questioned at length by a magistrate who accused him of "inciting rebellion" for having allowed the broadcast of the 10 September press conference by Member of Parliament (MP) Né Muanda Nsémi, the spiritual leader of the political-religious sect Bundu Dia Kongo (BDK). For the examining magistrate, "the broadcast of this press conference violated the code of professional ethics of Congolese journalists because it contained hateful remarks and insults directed against the head of state, Joseph Kabila."

JED denounces the ridiculous nature of such an accusation, which was made against a technician who is in no way linked to the remarks of a known politician, who, for his part, has never faced any consequences over the incident.