DRC Journalists Report Threats And Censorship Under Rebel Rule

Wednesday 28th January 2026

By inAfrika Newsroom

DRC journalists under rebel rule face rising threats, forced exile, and tighter censorship in parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a report published Wednesday, one year into rebel control dynamics in key areas.

The CPJ report described a media environment where reporters struggle to operate safely amid pressure from armed actors and local authorities, with some journalists fleeing and others self-censoring to reduce risk.

Eastern Congo remains one of Africa’s most complex conflict theatres, shaped by overlapping armed groups, contested state authority, and the strategic importance of mineral-rich territory. In such environments, information becomes a battleground: controlling narratives can influence population compliance, taxation systems, and external perception.

For local communities, restrictions on reporting reduce access to verified public-interest information on security incidents, humanitarian services, and governance decisions. For investors and regional policymakers, constrained journalism can obscure risk signals displacement levels, operational disruptions, or policy shifts until crises become harder to manage.

Media freedom watchdogs argue that protection of journalists is not only a rights issue but also a functional governance tool, enabling accountability and early warning. In conflict zones, credible information can reduce rumours that trigger panic, violence, or retaliatory attacks.

The CPJ findings add another layer to regional diplomacy around eastern Congo, where neighbouring states, multilateral bodies, and donors face ongoing disputes over security coordination, armed group backing allegations, and how to stabilise borderlands without deepening repression.

Next steps

DRC journalists under rebel rule are likely to remain a focus for diplomatic engagement and humanitarian coordination, including calls for safety guarantees, independent access, and mechanisms to document abuses without retaliation.

Why it matters

When journalists cannot report freely, conflict zones become less transparent, raising governance and investment risks and weakening early-warning capacity for humanitarian actors and regional security planners.