THE SHOW TRIAL OF POLITICAL PRISONERS OF FDU-INKINGI PARTY POSTPONED ONCE MORE

Justin Bahunga, Commissioner for External Relations and spokesperson-FDU-Inkingi

PRESS RELEASE

We would like to inform the public that the show trial of the political prisoners of FDU-Inkingi Party was again moved to September 14, 2018. This followed disagreement between the prosecution and the Defence. While the prosecution challenged the competence of the court to try them because it wanted to change the charge into an international of collaborating with two alleged terrorist organisations RNC and FDLR, the defence pointed out that such a charge was never brought up in their indictment that was read out in court on September 14, 2017. The Prosecution aims at the taking their case to the International crimes court based in Nyanza. These are clearly deliberate delaying tactics to block any prospect of getting a bail for FDU-Inkingi members who are kept in detention since September 6, 2018 without any evidence to prove the charges made against them. The last hearing was postponed because one of the alleged suspects who is not in detention, Ernest Nkiko was not present. He had not present because he had not summoned by the court.

The ruling on this issue is expected to be made by KIGALI HIGH COURT on September 14, 2018.

This stage is as part of the government policy of shutting the party out of the political scene. It is also intended to intimidate dissenting voices or those who may be tempted to challenge the ruling party RPF. As the public is aware the regime that is notorious for” arbitrary or unlawful killings; torture; harassment, arrest, and abuse of political opponents, human rights advocates, and individuals perceived to pose a threat to government control and social order; security forces disregard for the rule of law; and restrictions on civil liberties”, (US Country Human rights report on Rwanda 2017). These heroes of democratic change are accused of collaboration with a “ghost” terrorist organisation. The irony is that the current military/political organisation, the Rwanda Patriotic Front, waged an armed war from Uganda claiming that it wanted to end dictatorship and gross violations of human rights.

It is quite significant that government intimidation is losing ground as the courage of the FDU-Inkingi party leadership is becoming contagious. Today the court room was tightly packed by people who braved to come to attend the hearing.

It is very tragic that the same international community that supported the current leadership including its violent means to achieve its political aims is complacent to the worst human rights violations taking place in Rwanda.

We would like to remind the public that the Rwandan government wants to turn the opposition to its repressive regime into the international crime of terrorism, by accusing FDU-Inkingi members of collaborating with a terrorist organisation. According to inside sources once the kangaroo court gives its verdict, the regime will get the backing of international community in terms of moral, political and military support to hunt alleged terrorist i.e. opponents to the Rwandan repressive regime. This accusation will help to get the people that the government finds hard to accuse of committing genocide.

FDU-Inkingi would like to appeal to aid donners, human rights organisations to use their influence to get President Kagame to stop this masquerade of justice and release all the political prisoners. Not doing is funding state sponsored violence in so far as the aid money allows the regime to save money to spend on his repressive machinery.

Done in London, on July 30, 2018.

Justin Bahunga,
FDU-Inkingi Commissioner for External Relations and spokesperson.
Contacts: [email protected]; [email protected];
Phone: +44-7988-883-576