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September 09, 2025 – DR Congo –
On Monday, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged both government and rebel authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to halt their harassment of Congolese journalist Tuver Wundi, who has endured two detentions and dismissal from his position at a national broadcaster in Goma.
CPJ’s regional director Angela Quintal condemned the targeting of Wundi, stating, “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 emphasized that both Congolese government authorities and the M23 rebel group, along with its affiliated Congo River Alliance, must ensure journalists’ safety everywhere.
Wundi, who served as provincial director for RTNC Nord-Kivu and correspondent for the NGO Journaliste en Danger, was first detained by M23-affiliated rebels on February 25, shortly after they captured Goma. He was held under unclear circumstances for 11 days and released on March 7, only to be dismissed from his role for refusing to broadcast pro-rebel content amid accusations of “threatening state security” and collaborating with the Kinshasa government.
The journalist was targeted again on August 27 in Kinshasa, when six agents from the government’s National Intelligence Agency detained him for four days without charge, returning his belongings on September 5. Press analysts argue that Wundi’s experiences reflect the deeply precarious and perilous environment confronting journalists in eastern DRC.
The broader media landscape in the DRC remains under significant pressure. In North Kivu province, over 50 attacks on newsrooms and journalists, including looting, threats, and physical assaults, have been documented between January 2024 and January 2025. At least 26 community radio stations were forced to close, while many journalists were displaced, particularly those who resisted M23 propaganda or reported on abuses. Pressures from both regulatory and political fronts continue to stifle media freedom. According to the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, the DRC ranks 133rd out of 180 nations down from 123rd in 2024—highlighting a rapid deterioration in press rights, especially in the eastern provinces.
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