Rwanda: Authorities must immediately release Victoire Ingabire
Rwandan authorities must immediately release opposition politician and president of Development and Liberty for All (DALFA-Umurinzi) political party, Victoire Ingabire, Amnesty International said today.
The Rwanda Investigations Bureau (RIB) has linked her arrest in June to alleged subversion for communicating with nine others who were arrested October and December 2021 and are facing charges of attempting to overthrow the government.
Amnesty International also called for the immediate release of the nine. They include eight members of DALFA and Journalist Théoneste Nsengimana. All nine are awaiting the end of their trial which started in November 2024 after three years of pre-trial detention.
Ingabire was arrested at her home in the capital Kigali on 19 June by the RIB. The next day, in a tweet confirming the arrest, the RIB stated it had launched an investigation against Ingabire, at the request of the Public Prosecutor, linked to the case of the DALFA members arrested in 2021.
Ingabire is accused of, among other charges, “establishing or joining a criminal organization, conspiring to commit crimes against the government, and inciting unrest or disorder among the population.” She has denied these charges. If convicted, she could face up to life in prison. The prosecutor has relied on the testimony of a former aide and voice recordings purporting Ingabire shared ideas on non-violent actions against the government with the group.
