Highlights: Flag replaced in a high school in Congo-Brazzaville: eight high school students convicted, nine acquitted. Found guilty of “degrading an object of utility or public decoration”, eight students from the 5-Février technical high school were sentenced on March 14 to various penalties. Nine others were released. Last February, these 17 defendants took down the national flag and replaced it with a dark blue fabric. The Congolese national flag was taken down and replaced by a black flag in February 2024.

Flag replaced in a high school in Congo-Brazzaville: eight high school students convicted, nine acquitted

Found guilty of “degrading an object of utility or public decoration”, eight students from the 5-Février technical high school in Brazzaville were sentenced on March 14 to various penalties. Nine others were released. Last February, these 17 defendants took down the national flag and replaced it with a dark blue fabric.

The Congolese national flag was taken down and replaced by a black flag at the 5-Février technical high school, in February 2024 (illustrative photo). Getty Images - Manuel Augusto Moreno

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Brazzaville,

Loïcia Martial

The court

did not follow to the letter

the requisitions of the public prosecutor, who demanded sentences of two months' imprisonment

against fifteen students

and the release of two others. According to the verdict rendered by the sixth criminal chamber of the Brazzaville court, four young people were sentenced to two months in prison and a fine of 25,000 CFA francs. Four others received two months in prison and one must serve a month and a half in prison. On the other hand, nine of the defendants were acquitted.

For Mr. Haris Kikouéssoué, of the defense, justice has spoken the law well. “

I am almost satisfied, because I can say that in

Congo-Brazzaville
, justice exists. This case was investigated impartially and the decision was rendered impartially

,” he said.

A feeling shared by Me Jean-Fortuné Finounou Bassinga, lawyer for the State, who describes the judgment as exemplary. “

What we must remember today is the fact that the court made the right decision. We said that for the State a symbolic franc was enough for us, but we wanted the court to still impose exemplary sanctions on these delinquents. We also wanted it to serve as a lesson, to be educational. And that’s what was done

,” he said.

On February 5, these 17 students replaced the national flag within their establishment with a midnight blue fabric, the color of their old uniform.

Flag replaced in a high school in Congo-Brazzaville: eight high school students convicted, nine acquitted

Flag replaced in a high school in Congo-Brazzaville: eight high school students convicted, nine acquitted

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