1. Egide Mwemero
Oppressed Writers Presentation By:
Kali Booth, Thiago Fonseca, Jordan Aken, Cross Carlisle, Remy Basset-Audain, Ashleigh Polo
2. Biography
Egide Mwemero, a Burundian journalist, is currently an exile in the country of
the Democratic Republic of Congo where his whereabouts inside the country
are undisclosed because of his reportings. He is now living in Congo away
from his family who lives in Rwanda.
3. Egide’s Prosecution
Egide Mwemero was prosecuted on October 13, 2013
The reason for his prosecution was for reporting on broadcasting to foreign
radio without valid authorization along with two other reporters.
The other 2 reporters were released after only two days while Mwemero
remains in custody.
He is now might be extradited back to Burundi where he will face extreme
danger as a journalist.
4. Unfair Arrests
Reports of their arrests are unclear and it is unknown if they face charges
The Congolese authorities ordered a radio station off air without reason
Journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo are often faced with a
hostile environment, and the government has attacked press freedom in
an effort to silence critics or dissenting opinions
In January, authorities briefly blocked Internet and cellphone service
throughout the country
In March during a pro-democracy rally, government forces arrested about
30 individuals, several of whom were journalists covering the protest and
5. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Set of codes and articles adopted by many countries worldwide, a few of
which being allies with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The detainment of Egide Mwemero violates these codes and therefore
Congo’s allies would agree that Mwemero should no longer be held
without charges.
6. President Pierre Nkurunziza
● President since 2005
● Was the Chairman of the National Council for the Defense of Democracy-
Forces of National Council for the Defense of Democracy the Defence
Democracy (CNDD-FDD)
● Was controversially nominated by his party for a third term in office
● Supporters and opponents of Nkurunziza disagreed as to whether it was
legal for him to run again, and protests followed
● Two months of anti-Nkurunziza protests, which were often violently
repressed, left at least 100 dead
