DRC Moves to Prosecute Online Defamation Campaigns against the PM

The Democratic Republic of Congo says it has referred alleged online smear campaigns targeting Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka and other public officials to judicial authorities, according to an Actualité.cd report.

In a statement issued on Saturday, April 25, the government denounced what it called a resurgence of defamatory attacks, insults, threats and digital harassment circulating mainly on social media and other online platforms.

Authorities said the campaign was not limited to isolated criticism. The statement referred to alleged organized networks accused of spreading content designed to damage the reputation of public officials, manipulate opinion and weaken the credibility of state institutions.

The government said competent services have been instructed to identify the authors, co-authors, accomplices and instigators of the alleged acts, including those operating anonymously or from outside the country.

The move follows a wider push by Congolese authorities to enforce rules on digital conduct. In March, Justice Minister Guillaume Ngefa ordered prosecutors to pursue online offenses, saying Congolese cyberspace is not a lawless zone.

The government also said freedom of expression remains protected under the Constitution, but argued that public insults, defamation, threats, hate speech and harassment fall outside lawful expression when they constitute criminal offenses.

President Félix Tshisekedi had earlier called for stronger public awareness of the DRC’s Digital Code and more responsible use of online platforms, as authorities seek to regulate social media without undermining fundamental freedoms.

Legal and digital-rights observers have warned that enforcement must be balanced with freedom of expression, especially in a political environment where social media has become a major space for public debate.