Event Summary
On 2 January 2026, photojournalist Cikala Mihigo, a contributor to Focus Congo and well known in Bukavu for his work documenting the consequences of war and human rights violations in eastern DRC, was attacked by M23 elements at the Kazingo barrier at the entrance to the city of Bukavu. According to his account, the incident occurred around 7 p.m. as he was returning from a reporting assignment in Miti, in the Kabare territory.
The M23 soldiers asked him for his identity card and, after reading his name, exclaimed, “Are you Cikala Mihigo?” before violently beating him. He was beaten and injured on his right cheek. Although several local media outlets did not dare to report the incident for fear of reprisals, demonstrating the extent of the climate of intimidation and censorship that currently prevails in the areas occupied by the M23, this deliberate act is proof of the increasing risks faced by journalists in the east of the country on a daily basis.