Provisional release of journalist Ghys Fortuné Dombé Bemba after 18 months in pre-trial detention

Expression

On 13th September 2018, the national media regulator Conseil supérieur de la liberté de communication (CSLC) suspended the bi-monthly newspaper Le Troubadour for a period of one month. The newspaper is accused of using 'unfair means to obtain information or documents' and 'recidivism in the non-observance of ethical and deontological standards'. The accusations relate to the article 'Clément Mouamba presides over a Cabinet Council against ... the anti-values wanted by the Head of State' published on 11th September. 

On 2nd July 2018, the correctional Chamber of the Appeal Court in Brazzaville ordered the provisional release of journalist Ghys Fortuné Dombé Bemba, editor of the independent newspaper Talassa, after spending 18 months in pre-trial detention. As previously reported on the Monitor, Fortuné Dombé Bemba was arbitrarily arrested on 11th January 2017 on charges of 'complicity in undermining state security' because of an article he published on senior leaders in the military, which included comments by former rebel leader Pastor Ntumi (also known as Frédéric Bintsamou), who is wanted by the authorities for acts of terrorism. The independent newspaper Talassa was "permanently banned" on 12th January 2017.