Congolese Influencer Denise Dusauchoy Extradited From Tanzania to Kinshasa Amid Legality Dispute

Denise Mukendi Dusauchoy, a Congolese journalist and social-media influencer known for openly criticizing President Tshisekedi's government and voicing support for the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 alliance, was arrested in Tanzania on Aug 30 and extradited to Kinshasa, arriving around Sept 1 to face prosecutors on Sept 2. Dusauchoy, previously sentenced in absentia in Kinshasa in December 2024 to three years for spreading false rumors, forgery and public insults, had international arrest warrants outstanding after DRC prosecutors filed judicial commissions with Belgian authorities in late 2025. Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya said the arrest would be "the first in a long list" of figures aligned with M23. The handover triggered a legal dispute: international lawyer Paul Okito called the extradition unlawful and a violation of fundamental rights, while lawyer Manix Iyenda said it properly followed the DRC-Tanzania extradition agreement.