Journaliste en Danger, Kinshasa
July 17, 2000

Kinshasa - Xavier Bonane ya Nganzi, managing editor of the newspaper "Vision", who was recently named as member of parliament by President Laurent-Desire Kabila, was released on Sunday 16 July 2000. He had been detained for five days in an underground cell of the National Information Agency (Agence nationale de renseignements, ANR), in Kinshasa/Gombe.

The journalist was driven home shortly before 5:00 p.m. (local time), in an ANR vehicle.

According to members of the "Vision" staff, ANR leaders admitted that they had detained the wrong individual. They had been seeking another person named Bonane, who had allegedly made a recent trip to Europe, where he undertook "subversive activities" against the Kabila regime. The wrongly-detained managing editor had pleaded not guilty, while proving that he had not travelled to Europe.

"Vision"s materials should be returned very shortly. The newspaper's materials were seized during a search of its offices on the day of Bonane's arrest.

It should be noted that Bonane was not brought before a judge during his detention.

For further information, contact D. M'Baya Tshimanga, president, or Mwamba wa ba Mulamba, secretary-general, Journaliste en Danger (JED), 73, avenue Maringa, Kinshasa/Kasa-Vubu, Democratic Republic of Congo, tel/fax: +243 12 61576/20659, e-mail: jedkin@ic.cd, Internet: http://www.congonline.com/Jed/

The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of JED. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit JED.