DRC journalist arrested on defamation

Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo arrested music journalist Virginie Manganga on September 20. She faces criminal charges of defamation and disseminating false information, which carry a potential five-year prison sentence.

Manganga was detained by five agents from the prosecutor's office as she left the studios of Antenne A television in Kinshasa. The arrest followed a two-hour YouTube show she hosted on August 25, where she interviewed Collette Tuzaa. Tuzaa had alleged on social media four days earlier that she had an affair with the Congolese music star Fally Ipupa.

The legal proceedings

Fally Ipupa's lawyers stated on September 8 that the musician had initiated legal proceedings in three countries against Tuzaa, those who shared her posts, and those who organized livestreams with her. However, Ipupa's marketing director, Eddy Badiata, told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) that the musician was not involved in Manganga's arrest and was not the formal complainant.

After her arrest, Manganga was held at the city's Criminal Records Office. She was questioned on Monday at the public prosecutor's office in the presence of Ipupa's lawyers regarding her broadcast. On Tuesday, she was transferred to the Kinshasa/Gombe Peace Court, where she was formally charged and detained.

A pattern of press intimidation

The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the arrest. CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal called for Manganga's immediate and unconditional release. She also urged the DRC to decriminalize defamation. "Detaining two journalists on criminal defamation and false news charges in a single week highlights how the DRC is escalating pressure on the media," Quintal said.

Her statement references the imprisonment of another journalist, Trésor Muntu, on September 15. Muntu was charged with defamation and publishing false news for sharing an X post on WhatsApp.

The push to decriminalize defamation

Quintal's call aligns the DRC with a growing movement across Africa. Several nations have recently repealed criminal defamation laws. Uganda became the latest to do so in March of this year.

The source notes that CPJ's attempts to reach Fally Ipupa for comment were unsuccessful as his phone line was busy. The details of Manganga's case were provided to CPJ by a person with knowledge of the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisals.