PRESS RELEASE
The family of Mr Sylvain Sibomana, Secretary General of FDU-Inkingi, is
deeply concerned about the disappearance of Ms Jeanine Tuyisenge, who
disappeared on the 6th of September 2017, the same day that that 8
leaders of FDU-Inkingi were arrested. She was the person responsible for
taking him food recommended by a medical doctor. Sylvain is serving an
8-year prison sentence for allegedly inciting insurrection. Jeanine
Tuyisenge was a small trader at Remera market in Kigali selling fruits.
It calls on human rights organisations and all persons of good will to
help.
The family has strong fears that Jeanine could have been taken is deeply
concerned that their family member by her disappearance on the day that
the Rwandan regime proceeded at mass arrest of FDU-Inkingi political
leadership in Rwanda. We may recall that another lady Mrs Illuminee
Iragena, was kidnapped in Kigali on her way to work on the 26th of March
2016 and has not been seen since. The family reported that it has
information that she died in August 2016, under interrogation by the
Rwandan secret services. The rest of the family, i.e. husband and
children have fled the country.
We would like to recall that Sylvain Sibomana was sentenced to 8 years
in jail, because he was found discussing with colleagues in a bar about
the flaws of education policy in Rwanda, and therefore charged with
“inciting insurrection or trouble amongst the population” (Organic Law
01/2012/OL, article 463) and 2 year sentence because he was found
wearing T-shirts and badges with the inscriptions “Democracy and
justice” and “free Ingabire” interpreted to constitute “illegal
demonstration and inciting insurrection of public disorder”. The people
who were chatting with him were sentenced to 2 years in jail for
“concealing an offense or failing to inform security organs of a felony
that is being committed” (Organic Law 01/2012/OL, article 570).
There are therefore strong reasons to believe that Jeanine could be in
the hands of the Rwandan secret services and undergoing torture. I
would like to recall that methods of torture in secret detention centres
include according to research by Human Rights Watch, beatings, electric
shocks, asphyxiation, and mock executions, intended to make detainees
confess or to accept to give false testimonies against their friends.
The FDU-Inkingi, anxious to defend the voiceless, would like to call on
all people who can have an influence on the Rwandan government to put
pressure on the regime to reveal the whereabouts of Ms Jeanine Tuyisenge
.
Done in London October 12, 2017
Justin Bahunga
Commission for External Relations and Spokesperson FDU-Inkingi
Contacts: [email protected] ; Phone : +44-7988-883-576
