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| - Six Congolese journalists have been jailed for three years over a dispute with their boss, whom they accused of mismanagement and sexual harassment, a media campaign group said on Wednesday. Journalists in Danger (JED), a partner organisation to the global group Reporters Without Borders, expressed its "very deep concern over the serious deterioration" of press freedom in Mongala province, where the radio station the journalists worked for is located. The six were sued by the managing director of Bumba Lokole, a radio station in the northwestern town of Bumba, on the grounds of spreading malicious rumours after they "initiated and signed a petition calling for his resignation," JED said. They were handed a three-year sentence on Tuesday by a local court, it said. The journalists are Henri Engonda, John Isanga, Arsene Mokema, Chimene Mangondo, Merveille Ngoya and Prospere Boyange. Ruffin Makombo, the managing director, could not be immediately reached for comment by AFP. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been persistently accused by campaign groups of turning a blind eye to rights abuses, despite promises by President Felix Tshisekedi on taking office in January 2019 to improve the country's record. Reporters Without Borders rated DR Congo 150th out of 180 countries for press freedom in 2020. mbb/bmb/ri/mjs
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