Congo journalist Rosie Pioth sent death threats for anniversary report on 1982 airport bombing

In July 2025, journalist Pioth, a correspondent for France 24 and director of Fact Checking Congo, faced harassment and threats after publishing an article on the anniversary of a decades-old bombing. Her report highlighted how the tragedy had been erased from public memory, noting the lack of monuments, textbooks, or national recognition. The day after publication, Pioth began receiving anonymous death threats via calls and messages, warning her to stop reporting on the issue. Her husband was also directly threatened, with one message giving her 72 hours to halt her work and suggesting she was under surveillance. Fearing for her safety, Pioth went into hiding and planned to file a complaint with the prosecutor’s office in Brazzaville.