Ms Ingabire illegally detained

Completing her 3rd month in prison, the illegally detained� opposition leader Ms. Victoire INGABIRE was finally summoned by the High Court for a bail appeal hearing due on Monday, 17th January 2011, at 08:00.

The detention order expired on 25th� December 2010 and the GASABO intermediate Court rejected� her emergency motion� in that respect. This has been a breaking point, and another confirmation that she will never get a fair trial in Rwanda under the current regime, meddling into the case at all levels.

The president, who visibly is taking this case too personal,� is still pulling the wires. In fact the Rwandan News Agency RNA reported on 12th January 2011: �Jailed opposition politician Ingabire Victoire came to Rwanda with the thinking that the country�s laws did not apply to her � which western critics encouraged her to do”, says President Kagame�.

The independence of the Rwandan judicial remains a very serious question.

Today, a Military High Court panel headed� sentenced� in absentia Lieutenant General KAYUMBA NYAMWASA and Dr. Theogene RUDASINGWA to 24 years while Colonel Patrick KAREGEYA and Dr. Gerard GAHIMA were given a sentence of 20 years each. After they left the ruling party, they recently in exile launched an opposition political party, the Rwandan National Congress.

The Court is not qualified to try a Lieutenant General and the legal basis to try civilians in this case is not clear either. No appeal is possible.

Today was closed the hearing of the case against other opposition leaders accused of illegal protest and endangering the state security. A verdict is due on the 11th February 2011.

Mr. Bernard NTAGANDA, Founder-president of Parti Social Imberakuri; Ms. Alice MUHIRWA, FDU-INKINGI Treasurer; Mr. Sylvain SIBOMANA, FDU-INKINGI Interim Secretary General; Mr. Martin NTAVUKA, FDU-INKINGI Kigali leader are the main defendants.

Very narrow is the hope for the verdict not to reflect the anger of the presiding judge Pie MUGABO, who publicly threatened and abused� the lawyer Mr. GATERA GASHABANA� and the defending opposition members.

Those who believed that the August 2010 elections masquerade would bring peace in Rwanda did not expect this endless score settling intimidation campaign. The incumbent scored a Stalinist 93.5 % landslide vote but his judicial and state police are cleaning up the �political mess� before the local elections due in March 2011.

Boniface TWAGIRIMANA
FDU-Inkingi Interim Vice President.