On Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on both government and rebel authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to end harassment of a reporter who has been detained twice and dismissed from his post at a national broadcaster in Goma.
CPJ Regional Director Angela Quintal said, “Detaining [reporter] Tuver Wundi without just cause is a blatant attempt to intimidate the press and deprive the Congolese public of critical information about the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.”
She added that both Congolese authorities and rebel groups, specifically the M23-backed Congo River Alliance, must ensure journalists can operate safely across the country.
Wundi, who served as provincial director of a state-owned media outlet and correspondent for the NGO Journaliste en Danger (JED), was first detained by M23 rebels on February 25 shortly after the insurgents captured Goma.
He was held for 11 days under unclear circumstances before being released on March 7, but was dismissed from his position for refusing to alter programming in favor of the rebels.
Wundi was accused of threatening state security and collaborating with the Kinshasa government.
The journalist was targeted again on August 27 while in Kinshasa. Six agents from the government’s National Intelligence Agency detained him for four days without charge, returning his belongings on September 5.
Press experts argue his two detentions, coupled with the dismissal, reflect the precarious environment for journalists operating in eastern DRC, where reporting is often restricted by both armed groups and government authorities.
Press freedom in the DRC has been under sustained pressure.
In North Kivu, where Wundi works, more than 50 attacks on newsrooms and journalists were documented between January 2024 and January 2025, including looting, threats, and physical assaults.
At least 26 community radio stations were forced to close, and dozens of journalists were displaced, with some targeted specifically for resisting M23 propaganda or reporting on abuses.
Political and regulatory pressures further constrain the Congolese media environment.
The national media is pressured by the state, and outlets that report critically on the conflict have faced suspensions and harassment.
Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index ranks the DRC at 133 out of 180 nations, down from the 2024 ranking of 123, reflecting the deteriorating conditions for journalists, particularly in the eastern provinces.
Amid these challenges, the resurgence of M23 violence has worsened security for civilians and media workers alike.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that July 2025 saw the deadliest period for civilians since the group’s re-emergence in 2022, with hundreds killed in eastern DRC.
Journalists like Wundi operate in an environment where armed groups and state forces alike have been implicated in intimidation, forced disappearances, and arbitrary detention.
(Jurist)
