PRESS RELEASE
SYLVAIN SIBOMANA, 1st SECRETARY-GENERAL OF FDU-INKINGI TORTURED BY RWANDAN SECURITY SERVICES
In our press release dated April 3rd, 2017, we expressed our strong fears that Mr. SIBOMANA Sylvain, transferred manu militari, from Gasabo prison to Rubavu prison, after the bloody riots of April 3, 2017, would be subjected to torture. We now have evidence that he was tortured.
Indeed, yesterday 06/04/2017, two people were able to visit him in Rubavu prison. Upon their arrival, these two persons were denied their right to visit Sibomana and were subjected to two hours of rough interrogation and humiliation before they were finally allowed to see him. They were asked, among other things, about their relations with Mr. Sibomana and the reason why they wanted to visit him. During the interrogation, as a way of humiliating them, they were forced to remove their shoes and to sit on the ground in the dust. When they met Mr. Sibomana, they found him very exhausted with visible signs of torture on the body.
The FDU-INKINGI strongly condemn this act of cowardice on the part of the security services of the RPF regime and recall that even prisoners have fundamental rights to preserve.
At the same time, the FDU-INKINGI to remind the Rwandan State that it is a signatory to the various international instruments prohibiting acts of torture and that it will not be able to ignore its national and international obligations indefinitely.
The FDU-INKINGI finally calls on the Rwandan government to allow Mr. Sibomana guarantee access to medical care and to punish its agents who have committed these acts of torture.
Done in London April 7, 2017.
Justin Bahunga
Commissioner for External relations and Spokesperson
FDU-Inkingi
jbahunga@yahoo.co.uk