African Media Barometer DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC) Summary The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), (the former Zaïre), is a vast country of 2.5 million square kilometres in size, rich in natural resources, which generates a lot of attention. This partly explains its politically tumultuous, painful and controversial history made up of a succession of coup d’états, civil wars and chronic instability, which began in the 2000s. The key representative figures, since independence in June 1960, have been: Patrice Emery Lumumba, Joseph Kasa Vubu, Joseph Désiré Mobutu and Laurent Désiré Kabila. At the time this report was being put together, on 19 and 20 May 2012, the country was still embroiled in a latent war, violent confrontations occurring sporadically between rebel and government forces in the East of the country. Despite the lack of an official census for decades, the DRC’s population today is estimated at 60 million people. The Constitution that was adopted on 18 February 2006, its regulatory laws as well as its organic laws protect freedom of expression including freedom of the press. However, some provisions of the Law no. 96-002 of June 1996 concerning the exercise of the freedom of the press (article 73) clearly stipulate that offences by the press are dealt with in the Penal Code. Article 78 of this law includes « treason » as an offence, punishable by the death penalty. It is under these circumstances, that the right to freedom of expression for citizens and journalists is exercised in the DRC though with apprehension. Generally speaking, journalists are not scared to write their articles but remain subjected to very strong pressures and serious consequences, fearing reprisals. Over the past eight years, the average number of journalists assassinated with complete impunity was on average one per year. The government has been making an effort to ratify most of the international and African conventions, notably the African Charter of Human Rights and People’s Rights, the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Treaty and others, but implementation remains uncoordinated. Legally speaking, public authorities have to receive notice of written publications. In practice, however, under an order issued by the Ministry of Communication, a receipt and payment of US$500 at the time of notification are necessary; lack thereof is punishable by closure (of the press body). Renewed payment of 68 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Democratic Republic of Congo