Democratic Republic of Congo: Ruling Party Supporters Throw Rocks at Élysée Odia
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by increasing aggression shown toward journalists covering election campaigns.
Location: Democratic Republic of Congo, Kananga
Date: July 29, 2023
Seasoned reporter Élysée Odia and four other journalists were stoned while covering a political rally. This marks yet another violation against journalists trying to report in the DRC. Attacks against the press have recently escalated in the lead-up to December’s presidential election. The Coalition For Women In Journalism urges all political parties to respect the role of the media and ensure journalists can report safely.
On July 29, Élysée Odia, presidential candidate Delly Sesanga, and four other journalists were violently assaulted while attempting to cover a rally when supporters of the ruling party set tires on fire, barricaded roads, and pelted the group with stones to prevent them from reaching the rally venue.
Odia told CPJ that the situation quickly turned confrontational, and she, Sesanga, and two other journalists sustained minor head injuries.
Elysée Odia, an experienced journalist who has worked with various media outlets in DRC, was reporting the rally for her own online media platform Yabisonews.cd.
As campaigning for the presidential election in December heats up, the number of attacks against journalists has increased.
Over the last week, at least seven Congolese journalists were attacked in three separate incidents. On July 25, journalist José Nkoso was assaulted by political party supporters allied with President Felix Tshisekedi. In another incident, reporter Frank Kolonji was slapped and manhandled by supporters of an opposition presidential candidate.
In May, CFWIJ documented a vicious assault where journalist Geonne Djokwa was slashed with a machete during a demonstration for opposition parties.
The Democratic Republic of Congo remains a treacherous terrain for journalists, where they confront assault, coercion, imprisonment, and even fatal outcomes in their pursuit of truth. Journalistes En Danger documented a staggering 124 attacks against journalists in 2022 alone, with 18 of them involving physical assaults.
This distressing reality is exacerbated by the fact that many media organizations in the DRC are under the ownership of politicians who seek to manipulate media narratives for their interests. Consequently, journalists are trapped in a relentless cycle of pressure from local authorities, politicians, religious factions, and armed groups.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by the hostility political supporters have shown toward the press in recent months. These attacks must not continue. We strongly urge all political parties and candidates running in the presidential election to condemn all assaults on journalists vehemently. Reporters must be able to cover election campaigns without fearing for their safety.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.