Speaking to VOA correspondent in Rwanda on the 29th of August 2017, former detainees at Nyabushongo transit centre, Mudende sector, Rubavu district have rang alarm bells to the world calling for the rescue of detainees at this Centre.
They told the correspondent that the inmates face beatings using with wires, belts, sticks, applied to every part of the body, particularly the head and back. They spoke of poor hygiene and insufficient food. They allege that they know of 3 detainees who died at the centre, due to beating and poor hygiene, and of those who left the centre and are now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
We would like to recall that the so-called transit centres are dumping places for arrested street vendors, sex workers, beggars, homeless people, drug addicts and suspected petty criminals. Men and women, young people and children are all dumped in the same centre. Similar centres have been set up all over the country.
The FDU-Inkingi call upon the Rwandan government to end torture of its citizens, stop violating the international convention against torture, degrading and inhuman treatment and enforce the “Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners” as set out by the UN.
Done in London August 30, 2017
Justin Bahunga
Commissioner for External Relations and spokesperson
FDU-Inkingi
infocomrelext@fdu-rwanda.com