The IFJ has today condemned the killing of a journalist working for Radio Okapi who was shot dead in the town of Bukavu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the radio's website, Didace Namujimbo was shot in the head by unknown assailants on Friday night near his home.

"We condemn strongly the murder of our colleague Didace which shows yet again the alarming lack of protection for journalists in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo," said Gabriel Baglo, director of the IFJ Africa office. "In the last three years, six journalists have lost their lives in targeted attacks."

Didace is the second journalist to be killed in Bukavu in the last two years. Serge Maheshe, also a former Radio Okapi journalists, was gunned down in the town last June. Radio Okapi was set up and backed by the United Nations to provide information to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the peace deal which ended the civil in the country in 2001.

The IFJ is calling on the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission in DRC (MONUC) and the Congolese authorities to identify those responsible for Didace's murder and bring them to justice.

For more information contact the IFJ at +32 2 235 2207

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide