In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the lawyer for opposition politician Jean-Marc Kabund says he believes his client was released from prison over the weekend due to pressure from Kabund’s party and the conflict in the east of the country. However, a report by Reuters quotes President Felix Tshisekedi’s spokesperson as saying Kabund received a presidential pardon. Kabund, who was once vice-president of the DRC National Assembly, was sentenced in September 2023 by the country’s Supreme Court for “insulting the head of state and the institutions of the Republic.” Lawyer Ghislain Mwanji tells VOA’s James Butty, Kabund should never have been sentenced in the first place.