Modeste Mutinga

Mutinga is the publisher of Le Potentiel, which The Committee to Protect Journalists described as "the only independent daily newspaper in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo".{{cite web |url=http://cpj.org/awards/2000/awards00.php |title=IPF Awards 2000 - Announcement |year=2000 |publisher=Committee to Protect Journalists |access-date=27 May 2011}} According to Mutinga, the paper has "an agenda" of promoting economic development and democracy.{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/media/ipf/mutinga.html |title=Modeste Motinga |publisher=PBS NewsHour |access-date=27 May 2011 |archive-date=28 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128082957/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/media/ipf/mutinga.html |url-status=dead }}

Mutinga has been threatened, arrested, and jailed multiple times on charges related to his reporting. In 1992, during the Mobutu Sese Seko era, the Le Potentiel offices were bombed.{{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/2000-11-22/news/25612015_1_beacons-journalists-cpj |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515220914/http://articles.philly.com/2000-11-22/news/25612015_1_beacons-journalists-cpj |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 15, 2012 |title=Beacons Of Freedom Helping Journalists In Countries Where Basic Rights Are Denied |author=Trudy Rubin |date=22 November 2000 |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=27 May 2011}} In 1998, he was arrested by authorities following an article covering the house arrest of opposition leader Étienne Tshisekedi.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/60372.stm |title=Kinshasa arrest of opposition newspaper editor |date=26 February 1998 |work=BBC News |access-date=27 May 2011}} In January 2000, he was assaulted in New York City by the advisors of DRC President Laurent-Désiré Kabila while covering a meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

In 2000, he was awarded the International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists. The award citation described him as "a relentless advocate for human rights" and "an inspiration to journalists throughout Africa who continue to fight against tremendous odds for freedom of expression and better governance".

From 2003 to 2006, Mutinga served as High Authority of the Media in the Transitional Government that followed the Pretoria Accord ending the Second Congo War.{{cite web |url=http://congosiasa.blogspot.com/2010/06/whats-up-with-le-potentiel.html |title=What's up with Le Potentiel? |author=Jason Stearns |date=15 June 2010 |publisher=Congo Siasa |access-date=27 May 2011}}

He now serves as a senator in the nation's parliament as a member of the Alliance of the Presidential Majority, the party backing current president Joseph Kabila.[http://radiookapi.net/culture/2010/09/14/modeste-mutinga-publie-%C2%ABrd-congo-la-republique-des-inconscients-%C2%BB/ Modeste Mutinga publie «RD Congo, la République des inconscients »] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501064334/http://radiookapi.net/culture/2010/09/14/modeste-mutinga-publie-%C2%ABrd-congo-la-republique-des-inconscients-%C2%BB/ |date=2011-05-01 }}, Radio Okapi, 14 septembre 2010 In March 2010, he introduced legislation to attempt to regulate the "confusion" followed by the end of the Voice of Zaire's media monopoly.{{cite web |url=http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/broadcast/issue-no76/regulation-policy/drc-senator-modeste/bc |title=DRC: Senator Modeste Mutinga Mutuishayi tries to introduce a media law |date=26 March 2010 |publisher=Balancing Act |access-date=27 May 2011 |archive-date=16 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116003555/https://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/broadcast/issue-no76/regulation-policy/drc-senator-modeste/bc |url-status=dead }}

Mutinga is also a member of the political bureau for Together for Change, the opposition political coalition formed by former Katanga governor Moïse Katumbi to support his presidential bid in the upcoming 2018 presidential election.{{Cite web |url=https://ensemble-mk.com/organisation |title=Organisation|website=ensemble-mk.com |access-date=2018-05-25 |archive-date=2018-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526112919/https://ensemble-mk.com/organisation |url-status=dead }}

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Category:Democratic Republic of the Congo journalists

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Government ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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