Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo has expressed concern over the death threats to the two journalists of Democratic Republic of Congo.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has condemned these death threats to the journalists and urged the concerned authorities to ensure safety of both journalists and put an end to the violence against journalists.

According to the Journaliste En Danger (JED), the two journalists David Munyanga, director of  Radio FM Ondese, community station broadcasting Kiliba in the South Kivu Province; and  Fiston Matsanda, a journalist with  Bashu Community Radio in Beni territory, North Kivu province received death threats by the Mai Mai militant group and are forced to live in hiding.

The militants accused journalists for spreading information that could be the reason for the arrest of a Mai Mai group by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC).

Munyanga went into hiding since May 22, 2019, a day before his home was attacked by a group of Mai Mai armed men.

The day Munyanga was leaving the locality of Kiliba he received a threatening call from a militant leader saying, “We did not wanted to kill you that day because you were with your children. But your radio will be burned and you will be murdered.”

Matsanda was also forced to live in hiding since May 2, 2019. The Mai Mai militants accused him to be actively involved in the fight against Ebola through his stories.