Two journalists attacked in Oïcha and Bafwasende amid Ebola outbreak
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Beto
Journaliste en danger reports two physical attacks against journalists within 48 hours in Oïcha, North Kivu, and Bafwasende, Tshopo, as they worked on information related to Ebola. The first journalist was beaten and hospitalised before being discharged on 5 November, according to JED.
Two journalists were attacked within 48 hours in Oïcha, North Kivu, and Bafwasende, Tshopo, as part of their work to provide information and raise awareness about Ebola, according to Journaliste en danger (JED). The first case concerns Mbusa Vagheni Jackson, editor-in-chief of Radio du peuple Oïcha, who was attacked on 4 November in the Masosi neighbourhood of Oïcha by more than six people who accused him of spreading false information about the epidemic.
Mbusa Vagheni Jackson was reportedly punched before being beaten, stripped of his clothes and tied up. Rescued about 30 minutes later, he was taken to a health facility and discharged on 5 November. At least 200,000 Congolese francs and one of his phones also reportedly went missing, while one suspect was reportedly arrested by police.
The second case concerns Finance Sianga Bilanga, a journalist with Radiotélévision Bafwasende, who was attacked on 5 November at his station’s premises by a group of unidentified young people, according to Kis24.info. He had already been attacked on 24 October, when individuals reportedly attempted to kill him with machetes during a mourning ceremony for a nurse killed in the area.
The attacks come as JED warns of risks linked to disinformation during the Ebola outbreak. The organisation had already reported the situation on 2 November in an alert about journalists’ working conditions during an epidemic.
