[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296498__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"296498","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/296498","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296498__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_rT06N1hzNwWZvlauEGw5ZNFVKBrR23ibx56HC8Lyx4M.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_svkrpusmrjSaaV8heRnsa8-TbrEsMLumxMQD8vstdR8.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296498__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__296498__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EThe Congolese government is threatening the continued operation of foreign-owned radio and TV stations, the latest attempt to undermine freedom of speech in the country.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOn Saturday, Communications Minister Lambert Mende issued a decree that requires foreign radio and TV stations to have Congolese majority shareholders or risk being shutdown within 30 days. Foreign radio outlets without a physical presence in country must broadcast through a Congolese partner approved by the minister. They will have 45 days to comply with the new measures or be prohibited from broadcasting news.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ENine days ago, authorities \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis\u0022\u003Ecut the signal for Radio France International (RFI)\u003C\/a\u003E in Kinshasa ahead of planned protests. The station remains off the air, denying many Congolese a vital information source.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe new restrictive measures came during a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis\u0022\u003Erare visit\u003C\/a\u003E by United Nations Security Council members to Congo. During meetings with President Joseph Kabila and other officials, Security Council members raised concerns about a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/blog-feed\/democratic-republic-congo-crisis\u0022\u003Eban on public political meetings\u003C\/a\u003E in several cities across the country, the authorities\u2019 decision to take RFI off the air, and the continued detention of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/ida_sawyer\/status\/797450028163862528\u0022\u003Epolitical prisoners\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe meetings brought no clarity as to whether Kabila intended to stay in office beyond the two-term limit, which ends on December 19. When Kabila was asked by council members about his stepping down from the presidency, he merely \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/twitter.com\/sblhickey\/status\/797434060985565184\u0022\u003Enoted\u003C\/a\u003E that the constitution currently only allows for two terms but that it could be amended.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOn Sunday, police continued their crackdown on freedom of association by dispersing members of the opposition party Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC) who were meeting peacefully in a church in Kinshasa\u2019s Mont-Amba district.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EMeanwhile, authorities seem to be moving forward with the \u201c\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/content\/295340\u0022\u003Enational dialogue\u003C\/a\u003E\u201d agreement which was rejected by most main opposition leaders and civil society activists. Augustin Matata Ponyo announced his resignation as prime minister on Monday morning, paving the way for the appointment of a so-called \u201cgovernment of national unity.\u201d Kabila is expected to address the matter in a speech to the parliament on Tuesday.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]