Brussels, 14th October 2010
FDU-Inkingi
Press Release
The latest news confirms the arrest of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, FDU-INKINGI chairperson, and her subsequent transfer to the KICUKIRO police cell. She was interrogated on her alleged connections with the FDLR rebel group and an unknown group allegedly called the Coalition of Democratic Forces, which is alleged by the police to be the military wing of FDU-INKINGI. The Rwanda police spokesperson today confirmed to the BBC that Mr. Vital UWUMUREMYI, a former Major with the FDLR rebel group, is the new key police witness. Upon his arrest, he allegedly confessed that he was indeed involved, on behalf of or together with Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, the purchase and distribution of arms to members of the unknown group called the Coalition of Democratic Forces. Reliable information confirms that this "witness" was residing in Rwanda already since February 2009, his whereabouts known by all security services and he has been collaborating with them, hence, he is allowed to do some brokerage jobs for a living. According to the police spokesperson, he was arrested on Wednesday 13th along the Rwanda and DR Congo common border. We know that a machine has been put in place and all kind of repatriated Hutus, ex-FAR, ex-FDLR and the like, have been prepared and briefed to fabricate anything that will keep key opponents in jail for life.
It is worth to recall that the home area of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE was cordoned off since October 8th, 2010 by a heavy security force. Were the police expecting the arrest of the witness when it began the siege of her residence? The whole saga smells like a setup.
The FDU INKINGI Support committee sincerely suspects a ploy to fabricate evidence against yet another key member of the democratic opposition. During previous interrogations, the police have all along alleged that two former members of the FDLR group were ready to adduce evidence against Ms. INGABIRE. To date, she has never been given a chance to challenge the evidence in a court of law and the witnesses were never produced in court.
The FDU-INKINGI leader has been accused of all sorts of deeds since her return to Rwanda in January 2010. But so far the regime has failed to give any evidence in a court of law. Instead the regime of General KAGAME kept her under extended house arrest indefinetely.
The intimidation, harassment and arrest of the FDU-INKINGI Chairperson has been a pretext to reject the registration of the party, and to halt Ms. Victoire INGABIRE in her quest to challenge General Paul KAGAME in the rigged presidential election. She has officially and publicly questioned the legitimacy of the election's result, as did a number of foreign countries. She also publicly called for accountability and the end of impunity which the regime is enjoying despite war crimes, crimes against humanity committed both in Rwanda and in the DRC.
We call for her immediate release and urge the international community to press upon General KAGAME to stop using his police and justice institutions to settle political scores.
For the FDU-INKINGI Support Committee,
Eugene Ndahayo
President
UPDATE FOR RELEASE:
A well informed source confirmed that the conditions of detention of Ms.
Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, Chairperson of the FDU-INKINGI, are intolerable and
immoral.
- Last night the jailers kept her mattress and linens away from her and
she spent the whole night seated and handcuffed. In the morning they
refused to give her hygienic stuff (tooth brush, toothpaste and
towel)taken for her use.
- The food taken to her for lunch was returned untouched in the evening.
We don't know if the jailers took the food to her or not.
- Water and A bucket were refused.
The government is not providing her any food and our party members are not allowed
to reach her. The jailers are following extremely strict orders.
A lawyer and the Red Cross were informed this evening and the chief of
the detention facility promised to discuss the issue with the people who
determine the detention conditions. It's intolerable, inhumane, and immoral to
keep a detainee in such conditions.
As for rumors of a possible poisoning, the detainee is in the hands of
the regime. They will be accountable.
FDU-INKINGI
Done in KIGALI,
15.10.2010.
UPDATE - 16 October 2010
FDU-Inkingi
16th October 2010
A CALL TO ACTION
Detained opposition leader, Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, Chairperson of FDU-INKINGI, is still enduring cruel and inhumane treatment in prison at the hands of the Rwandan state authorities.
According to reliable information from the KICUKIRO police detention center where she is being held, Ms. Victoire INGABIRE has been kept in handcuffs day and night continually since her re-arrest on 14th October 2010. The jailers have deliberately kept away all her supplied items, including a mattress and clothes.
A lawyer who saw her today found a person submitted to dire, inhumane, and humiliating conditions. Red Cross staff was denied access to her this morning and was told Rwandan authorities would confirm later this afternoon the decision of the chief of police of her detention facility in this respect. Another lawyer who discussed today her horrible situation with the Criminal Investigation Department hierarchy could not tell whether her conditions were going to improve after the meeting.
This is a call to action to all human rights activists, the international community, media and civilized governments around the world to convince President Paul KAGAME that political opponents are not evil nor terrorists. We believe in democracy, justice and peace, he does not.
FDU-INKINGI
Done in KIGALI
15 October, 2010
14 October, 2010
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