Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): CFWIJ is appalled by the shooting of journalist Nanou Kazaku. We call for an immediate investigation into the incident.

February 22, 2021— Nanou Kazaku, a radio journalist based in Goma, the capital of North-Kivu province in the DRC, was shot on Wednesday, February 17. Nanou was covering a demonstration in the Keyshero neighborhood when she took a bullet to the neck. The journalist was rushed to CBCA hospital and treated for her injuries. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) is appalled by the shooting of the journalist. We demand an immediate and proactive police investigation into this attack.

Nanou Kazaku was covering the forceful evacuation of people from illegally-occupied land on Wednesday. The armed demonstrators were exchanging fire with the police when Nanou was hit by a bullet. Amidst the chaos, it is still unclear from which side the bullet was fired. Another journalist on the scene, Franck Kaky, recounted, "She fell in front of me, and I saw that she had been hit in the neck." The journalist was rushed to the CBCA Ndosho hospital, where she underwent surgery for her injuries. 

The president of the National Union of Congo Press has also condemned the incident and demanded an in-depth investigation. Rosalie Zawadi Masika, president of the UNPC North-Kivu, stated, “We condemn what happened to our colleague Nanou Kazaku, and we ask the authorities to open a serious investigation to identify who shot our colleague and that the perpetrator be punished. This is not the first time that a journalist has been attacked, and we say that it must stop."  Rosalie continued to stress the importance of the public being informed and how that depends on journalists being able to report safely.  If journalists are threatened, and their safety jeopardized, who will provide the people the information they need?

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is alarmed by the attack on journalist Nanou Kazaku. We ask the police and government authorities in the DRC to immediately conduct an in-depth investigation and apprehend the perpetrator behind this brutal attack. We hope that Nanou makes a full and speedy recovery. We encourage the Congolese government to take action and protect journalists from being targeted by such attacks.