VICTOIRE INGABIRE IS IN HALF FREEDOM IN KIGALI/Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza est en liberté surveillée

(23.03.10)

23rd March 2010

PRESS RELEASE

On 23rd March 2010, Mrs. Victoire Ingabire, the Chairperson of FDU-INKINGI, was stopped at Kigali International airport and issued an on-spot summon to the Criminal Investigation Department the following morning with no further information.

A few minutes later National Radio and Television aired in breaking news, relaying the Foreign Affairs Minister’s warden alarm, a demonising campaign claiming she was arrested while trying to flee the country. Until today, she has never been informed that she is in “half-freedom “ and has no right to see her family and no right to travel abroad. This new twist in this looming presidential campaign is a confirmation that President Paul Kagame is not ready to accept any political challenge and that any competitor has already a foot in jail.

This police saga was triggered by the president’s threats aired on 08th February 2010 to use the legal fortress against the candidate, prompting endless police interrogations used to thwart the party’s registration process. For the record, this comes barely two weeks after an interview of President Kagame with CNN in which he accused Victoire Ingabire of revisionism.

This harassment and persecution give more determination to struggle for the democratisation of Rwanda.

FDU INKINGI, Secretary General

Sylvain Sibomana