Two Rwandan activists, Papias Ndayishimiye and Norbert Ufitemahoro, who were members of the opposition party FDU Inkingi, have been released after serving seven years in prison. The announcement was made by Victoire Ingabire, the president of the Dalfa Umurinzi party, via her X account on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. She stated, “Our activists Papias Ndayishimiye and Norbert Ufitemahoro were discharged today, after serving 7 years sentence in prison. They were alleged in 2017 for being in a terrorist group, a charge often used against those who dissent from the government.”
The arrests of Ndayishimiye and Ufitemahoro in 2017 were part of a broader pattern of accusations against individuals and groups critical of the Rwandan government. The charge of terrorism has frequently been applied to silence dissenting voices and suppress political opposition. Their release marks a significant moment for opposition parties and human rights advocates who have long criticized the Rwandan government’s approach to handling political opposition.
Despite the release of Ndayishimiye and Ufitemahoro, many other activists, journalists, and opposition party members remain incarcerated in Rwanda. Human rights organizations continue to call for their release and for the Rwandan government to respect freedom of expression and political pluralism.
