A/HRC/13/63 page 13 rights defenders noted that defenders are particularly exposed to threats, attacks, arbitrary arrest and detention and other serious human rights violations when supporting victims of grave violations, including sexual violence; when fighting impunity and supporting the work of the International Criminal Court; and when protecting economic, social and cultural rights, including denouncing the illegal exploitation of natural resources.17 40. On 23 August 2009, Bruno Koko Chirambiza, journalist at Radio Star, was killed in Bukavu in South Kivu by a group of unidentified men. Chirambiza is the third journalist to be killed in Bukavu in the past two years, allegedly for his human rights activities, following Didace Namujimbo (murdered on 21 November 2008) and Serge Maheshe (murdered on 13 June 2007). 41. On 15 March 2009, following a press conference in Kinshasa on the tensions between political institutions in the country, Floribert Chebeya Bahizire, Dolly Ibefo Mbfunga, and Donat Tshikaya, three members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), together with Coco Tanda, a cameraman, were arrested by members of PNC, brought to the ANR headquarters and then detained in Kin Mazière prison. Their computers and video cameras were reportedly seized. They were released two days later. The aim of this press conference was to announce a peaceful demonstration in front of the Parliament, with the intention of presenting a memorandum to the Presidents of the Senate and the National Assembly concerning the “preservation of democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo”. 42. On 24 July 2009, Golden Misabiko was arrested following the publication of a report by his organization ASADHO/Katanga on the clandestine exploitation of the Shinkolobwe uranium mine, with the alleged complicity of members of FARDC, PNC and the military court (“auditorat militaire”). He was later sentenced to one year’s suspended prison sentence on counts of “threat to national security” and “defamation”. Emmanuel Umpuda, Timothée Mbuya, Grégoire Mulumba and Dominique Munongo continue to receive threats from unknown perpetrators because of their endorsement of the aforementioned ASADHO/Katanga report. 43. As stated earlier, women defenders continue to be most at risk and face sexual and gender-based violence. On 1 October 2009, for instance, a group of unidentified armed men threatened to kill and rape Rebecca Agamile, a member of SOFEPADI – an NGO which promotes and protects women rights in Bunia (Orientale province), and her 16-year-old daughter. Reports allege that the threats are linked to the work of SOFEPADI in cooperating with the International Criminal Court and sharing information about human rights violations. 44. The Congolese authorities, as well as non-State actors, have continued to stigmatize defenders, labelling them as “enemies” or “opponents”. At the end of July 2009, the Minister of Communication publicly labelled three international human rights 17 This assessment is also confirmed by the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: see E/C.12/COD/CO/4 (20 November 2009), para. 12. For detailed analysis of the situation of human rights defenders in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, see A/HRC/13/22/Add.2.