Follow-up of case RWA 070307_Release of Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka

The International Secretariat of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has received new information regarding the following situation in Rwanda.

New Information

The International Secretariat of the OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of the release on 21 March 2007 of Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka, Congolese professor.

Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka had been accused of “endangering State security” and of “discriminatory and sectarian abuses”. According to the information received, he was acquitted on 20 March 2007 by the Kagarama base tribunal at Gikondo, and released from the central Kigali prison on 21 March 2007.

According to the same information, Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka was transported immediately after his release to the Rwandan-Congolese border near Bukavu. Furthermore, he was ordered never to set foot on Rwandan soil again.

Background information

After his arrest at Kigali on 16 February 2007, OMCT was informed by a reliable source of the criminal proceedings against Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka, who is a Congolese professor at Kigali’s Université Adventiste Laïque (UNILAK).

Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka was being held at the central Kigali prison (PCK) known as “1930” after the Kagarama base tribunal at Gikondo ordered his preventive detention on 23 February 2007 for a period of 30 days while awaiting his trial. Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka had been accused of “endangering State security” and of “discriminatory and sectarian abuses”. These charges were allegedly based on a report titled “Rwanda Alert” (“Alerte Rwanda”) published in June 2005. This report is said to have been critical of President Paul Kagame’s government of Rwanda. The report allegedly cited Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka as a co-author.

Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka is also a professor at the Catholic University of Bukavu (Université catholique de Bukavu), in South Kivu. Furthermore, he writes for the journal “Mashariki News”, published in Bukavu.

According to information received, Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka’s health is very fragile. Due to a stomach operation, he must follow a strict dietary regime as well as receive regular health care to which he did not have access during his detention.

Remarks

The International Secretariat of the OMCT would like to thank all of those members of the network, organisations and individuals who took action in favor of Mr. Idesbald Byabuze Katabaruka’s release.

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Geneva, 23 March 2007