Journalists Jules-César Mayimbi and Washington Lutumba were both provisionally released earlier this week, after more than six weeks in custody. Both men are facing charges of libel (imputations dommageables) arising from articles published in their respective newspapers in March 2001 Jules-César Mayimbi is suffering from tuberculosis. It appears that either he contracted it in custody, at the central prison of Matadi in south-western DRC, or that it has been exacerbated by the conditions at the prison. Although a doctor was allowed to examine him in prison, he was not provided with any medicines.
