RWANDA:RWANDA: VISITORS TO POLITICAL PRISONERS KIDNAPPED TODAY NEAR KIMORONKO PRISON.

by Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza for President

Kigali 08th  July 2011

VISITORS TO POLITICAL PRISONERS KIDNAPPED TODAY NEAR KIMORONKO PRISON.

Deo Mushyahidi After being kidnapped by RPF in 2010

Today 13 visitors registered with the Kigali maximum prison for a chance to catch a glimpse of Democracy prisoners Madame Victoire Ingabire, Chair of FDU-INKINGI; Bernard Ntaganda of PS Imberakuri; Deo Mushayidi of PDP Imanzi and Charles Ntakirutinka of PDR Ubuyanja. They were ignored for hours until they silently decided to vacate. The opposition members who went to Kimironko prison where another political prisonner, Mr. Sylvère Mwizerwa (Permanent Secretary of Parti Social Imberakuri) is detained disappeared.  From the prison, they were rammed by tailing intelligence operatives.  5 visitors including Mr. Martin Ntavuka, FDU-INKINGI Kigali city leader, were hijacked from Kimironko bus stage. His wife, Mrs. Illuminée Iragena rushed to Kimironko detention facility to inquire the whereabouts of her husband and was arrested together with an old mother.

A lawyer who followed up the case with Kimironko prison administration was told that all the suspects were evacuated by the criminal police for further investigations. Their whereabouts and charges are unknown.  In total 7 opposition members and another person have been transferred to unknown destination: Alexis Bakunzibake, Secretary General of PS Imberakuri in charge of Youth; Jean Baptiste Ikitonderwa (PS Imberakuri); Martin Ntavuka (FDU-INKINGI) and his wife Illuminée Iragena; Ngwabije; Tite Joyeux; Eric; Madame Collette (aged over 60 years old).

After the government decided to isolate all political prisoners since April 2011, their visitors have been intimidated and threatened every single visiting day. The arbitrary arrest is a strong signal to demoralise and abash opposition members so they can leave their leaders in the lurch.

We urge the government to release all political prisoners and to put an end to arbitrary detentions of innocent people.

FDU-INKINGI
Boniface Twagirimana
Interim Vice President.