SEPTEMBER 16, 2018
Press Release(pdf)
We have received with great joy the news about the release of Mrs. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, President of FDU-Inkingi. We are also pleased that another prisoner of conscience, Mr Kizito Mihigo, has been released at the same time with 2138 other prisoners.
We are pleased that the rights of our hero and icon of democracy, Mrs Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, have finally been acknowledged even though after 8 years of unjust detention.
The UDF-Inkingi party would like to recall that judgment No. 003/2014 of the African Court of Human and Peoples ‘ Rights of 24 November 2017 in the case of Victoire Ingabire against the state of Rwanda, in paragraph 173 (x), directed the respondent State (Rwanda) to take all the measures necessary to reinstate the applicant in her rights and to report to the Court within six (6) months about the measures taken to comply with this ruling.
In paragraph XIII of the same paragraph 173 of the judgment of 24 November 2017, the court granted Mrs. Victoire Umuhoza, pursuant to rule 63 of the rules of procedure of the Court, a period of thirty (30) days, from the date of the judgment, to file her application for the purpose of reparations and, to the respondent State, to reply to it within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the applicant’s request.
Mrs. Victoire Ingabire filed her submissions for reparation before the African Court, but the respondent State has not yet sent its own response. We dare to hope that Mrs. Victoire Ingabire will enjoy, among other things, all her civil and political rights without any restrictions.
The UDF-Inkingi also hope that there is a genuine process for opening the political space and that other actions will follow to allow the Rwandan people to recover all the democratic freedoms to which they aspire and have been struggling for, for a long time. The FDU-Inkingi hope above all that there is no hidden agenda to use this act for political ends.
We hereby draw attention, inter alia, to a contradiction in decisions taken by the judiciary. While the President of FDU-Inkingi is released on 14/09/18, on the same day members of her party who are in detention for a year on false accusations have been ordered to stay in detention and referred to another Court in Nyanza. Such decisions are not at all reassuring especially when dealing with a regime well versed in political subterfuges. We ask that there be real political coherence and that our comrades whose names follow are released unconditionally.
Our members in prison include:
- Boniface Twagirimana (1st Vice-President of FDU-Inkingi)
- Sylvain Sibomana (First Secretary General of FDU Inkingi)
- Fabien Twagirayezu (Mobilization Manager)
- Gasengayire Leonille (Assistant Treasurer)
- Gratien Nsabiyaremye (Assistant Commissioner for Strategy and Political Affairs FDU-Inkingi)
- Theophile Ntirutwa (coordinator FDU-Inkingi in Kigali)
- Vénant Abayisenga (Coordinator FDU-Inkingi in the Western Province)
- Norbert Ufitamahoro
- Evode Mbarushimana
The UDF-Inkingi, at the same time, requests the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Mrs. Diane Rwigara, Deo Mushayidi, Théoneste Niyitegeka and others.
Done in London on September 15, 2018
Justin Bahunga
2nd Vice-Président
FDU INKINGI
Contacts: infocomrelext@fdu-rwanda.com Phone: +44-7988-883-576
