RWANDA, Kigali, 26 August 2011.
Today, women’s delegation of 6 members of FDU-INKINGI went to Kigali maximum Prison to visit the ailing leader, Madame Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza but they were refused.Yesterday, the opposition leader was taken to King Faycal Hospital in Kigali and spent a maximum of 20 minutes in the premises. A colleague who harried to the hospital was ordered to pay for the consultation without being given a chance to speak to the leader rushed back to maximum security. Doctors of her choice for another clinic have been intimidated.
Madame Victoire Ingabire’s trial starts on 05 September 2011. Observers tend to forget that all key opposition leaders are either in jail, dead or in exile. They are treated like second class citizens and subjects of the ruler. In all those politically motivated trials, the ruling apparatus is at the same time the prosecution, the court, the justice and the jailer. Prosecutors and judges depend on the current regime for their appointment and tenure.
The intimidation of opposition members, independent journalists and Human rights activists, has been extended to their lawyers and medical doctors.
As for the respect for human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of association, political space and fair justice , we all expected bilateral partners of Rwanda to intercede and remind the regime that it has some obligations to the international community.
FDU-Inkingi
Boniface Twagirimana
Interim Vice President.
26Août