OLPA Acknowledges the Release of a Journalist in Kamanyola

February 3, 2026 - The Observatory for Press Freedom in Africa (OLPA) confirms the release of Samson Fabrice Nyandabaga, journalist and director of Flash FM, a community radio station in Kamanyola (47 km from Bukavu, South Kivu, DRC). The journalist was released on January 31, 2026, after 72 hours of detention in the intelligence cell of the AFC-M23 rebel movement. He had been arrested on January 28, 2026, while covering the living conditions of displaced people in Uvira, following the withdrawal of AFC/M23 rebels. During his detention, he faced intense interrogation about alleged ties to international media and Congolese journalists reporting on issues deemed hostile by the rebels. OLPA condemns this unjustified imprisonment, highlighting it as a clear violation of press freedom, which is guaranteed by Congolese law and international human rights instruments. This incident underscores the ongoing risks faced by journalists operating in conflict-affected regions of eastern DRC.