PRESS RELEASE
This morning August 23, 2016, the police has arrested again Miss Gasengayire Leonille, Assistant Treasurer – of FDU-Inkingi, while on a visit to her family in Kivumu – Bunyunju – Karungu – Rutsiro Western Province. She was detained under the orders of the local Police commander Willy, for reasons not yet made public.
We would like to recall that Miss Leonille is also responsible for taking food to the political prisoner Mrs Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, President of FDU-Inkingi political party. Mrs. Victoire receives food from outside prison for medical reasons. Miss Leonille was arrested last March at the central prison in Kigali where she had taken food to Ms. Victoire. She was kept incommunicado for three days before she was released.
Although the official reasons for her arrest and detention are not yet known, we have strong fears that this is part of the general policy of the RPF to harass relentlessly members of FDU-Inkingi. We are also quite concerned that she may again be a victim of physical and mental abuse she suffered when she first detained in March this year.
FDU-Inkingi strongly condemns the harassment and intimidation that members of FDU-Inkingi are subjected to. We call on all peace-loving people, governments and human rights organizations to put pressure on the Rwandan government in order to bring it to respect the civil and political rights guaranteed by international conventions. This is essentially what the Rwandan government was asked to do at the last meeting of the Universal Periodic Review (UPU) in Geneva on this subject.
Done in London August 23, 2016
FDU INKINGI
Justin Bahunga
Commissioner for External Relations and Spokesperson
[email protected]
