12 October 2010

Alert

RFI back on the air after 15-month signal interruption


Incident details

Ban lifted

RFI, Radio station

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(JED/IFEX) - On 12 October 2010, Journaliste en Danger (JED) welcomed the return of French public radio station Radio France International (RFI). RFI's signal was shut down nationwide on orders of the Congolese government on 26 July 2009. The government accused RFI of "initiating a campaign to demoralise the Armed Forces of the DRC."

JED welcomes this positive development and urges the Congolese authorities to refrain from any future attempts to control the free flow of information.

As the most popular radio station in the country, the shutdown of RFI's signal deprived millions of listeners of information, which JED highlighted in its February 2010 petition campaign entitled "Release the info, reopen RFI".

In June, a delegation from the French foreign broadcasting service announced in Kinshasa the opening of a local office with the appointment of an expatriate journalist, and the finalisation of discussions with the Congolese government regarding the restoration of RFI's signal. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the Congolese authorities have made no formal announcement as concerns the restoration of the signal.



Source:

Journaliste en danger (JED)
B.P. 633 - Kinshasa 1
374, av. Col. Mondjiba
Complexe Utexafrica, Galerie St Pierre, 1er niveau, Local 18 Kinshasa/Ngaliema
République Démocratique du Congo
direction (@) jed-afcentre.org
Phone: +243 81 99 29 323
Fax: +44 20 7900 3413
 

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More on this case

Several radio stations threatened with closure for retransmitting RFI 19 August 2009 Minister carries out threat to shut down French station's broadcasts throughout the country 28 July 2009 Government blocks French international radio broadcasts in Bukavu 15 June 2009 Government suspends French public radio broadcasts 11 May 2009

Democratic Republic of Congo

Radio station closed 17 May 2012 JED deplores suspension of Radio Liberté, calls for restraint 14 May 2012 Two journalists held by police in Kisangani 11 May 2012 JED warns of grave threats to Radio Okapi journalist's safety 10 May 2012 Screenings of documentary on assassinated human rights activist banned 13 April 2012 See all alerts: Democratic Republic of Congo


 
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