MLC calls for journo's release

2008-06-25 20:10

Kinshasa - The Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) opposition group of Jean-Pierre Bemba on Wednesday called for the immediate release of a party member detained last week.

Imana Engulu, a journalist, was arrested on the "false pretext" of a traffic accident last Friday in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the MLC said.

No reason for his arrest had been given and "all efforts by his party and family to obtain his release had been in vain," said the party of the former rebel Bemba, who was defeated by Joseph Kabila at the last election in 2006.

The MLC said it believed the arrest was part of "a covert campaign of intimidation, repression and kidnapping against those identified as close to the MLC or its national president Jean-Pierre Bemba."

The party added that it wanted Engulu to be freed and the government to give assurances that it would end "the arbitrary arrests and other violations of human rights committed by some security services."

The MLC is currently led by secretary-general Francois Muamba. Belgian authorities detained Bemba on May 24 on a war crimes warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The multi-millionaire businessman, 45, was detained on four charges of war crimes and two of crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. He has repeatedly denied the charges.

Bemba was one of four vice-presidents in a transitional government in the DRC between 2003 and 2006. He also faces charges of high treason in his country.

- AFP