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by the Permanent Consultative Council of Opposition Parties in Rwanda.

The Permanent Consultative Council of Opposition Parties in Rwanda-PCC, which brings together the United Democratic Forces-FDU Inkingi, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and the Social Party Imberakuri, is calling for an immediate release of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA with no more conditions and the release of all other political prisoners.

Yesterday, 14th October 2010, Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA was arrested and incarcerated in KICUKIRO police custody on seemingly politically motivated charges of forming a terrorist organization (Coalition of Democratic Forces-CDF as an alleged military wing of FDU-Inkingi). She was imprisoned in April 2010, she was later released on bail but has since then been under extended house arrest. She has never been given a chance to be fairly confronted in a court of law. She has never been a flight risk or a threat to the community.

All the three opposition parties that challenged the RPF-Led Government have undergone serious and dangerous trials.

The Government refused to register the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda after a whole year of risky peaceful struggle that was started on 14th August 2009. Its Vice President Andre KAGWA RWISEREKA was found beheaded on 14th July 2010.

They also refused to register the United Democratic Forces-FDU Inkingi and many of its members have been imprisoned or released on bail.

The Social Party Imberakuri had managed to get registered in July 2009, but was later broken up into several factions, one of them now in the Government�s Political Parties Forum. Its Founding President, Maitre Bernard NTAGANDA is in prison since 24th June 2010, he is reported to be in a very critical health situation at King Faycal Hospital after Kigali Central Hospital was unable to treat him.

URGENT CALL FOR ACTION�:

� We urgently call for the immediate release of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA with no further conditions.

� We demand an immediate release from Prison of Mr.�Bernard NTAGANDA, who was detained since 24th June 2010 and is now facing serious health conditions, which may claim his life.

� We demand an immediate trial of the killers of the Late Andre KAGWA RWISEREKA (Vice President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda) and we still call for an international independent inquiry and an independent autopsy as Human Rights Watch has already requested.

� We also demand an immediate release from Prison of Ms.Seraphine MUKAMANA, Green Party�s Kigali City Coordinator

� We call upon the International Community, especially USA, UK, all EU Member States and all Friends of Rwanda to continue seriously engaging the Government of Rwanda to open up political space and allow democracy take root in Rwanda.

Issued at Kigali, 15th October 2010

Mr.�Frank HABINEZA
Founding President, Democratic Green Party of Rwanda

Mr.�Sylvain SIBOMANA
Secretary General, United Democratic Forces, FDU INKINGI

Mr.�Theobald MUTARAMBIRWA
Secretary General, PS Imberakuri

by Eugene Ndahayo.

The latest news confirm the arrest of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, FDU-INKINGI chair, and a subsequent transfer to KICUKIRO police cell. She was interrogated on her alleged connections with the FDLR rebels’ group and the unknown Coalition of Democratic Forces which is purported to bethe military wing of FDU INKINGI.

The police spokesperson today confirmed to the BBC that Mr. Vital UWUMUREMYI, former major with FDLR rebel group, is the new key police witness. Upon his arrest, he confessed that he was indeed involved, on behalf of or together with Ms. Victoire INGABIRE UMUHOZA, in the purchase and distribution of arms to members of the unknown Coalition of Democratic Forces.
Reliable information confirm that the person was residing in Rwanda already since February 2009, in the know of all security services and has been collaborating with them and hence allowed to do some brokerage jobs for a living.

According to the police spokesperson, he was arrested on Wednesday October 13th along the Rwanda and DR Congo common border. We know that a machine has been put in place and all kind of repatriated Hutus, ex-FAR, ex-FDLR and the like, have been prepared and briefed to create anything that could keep key opponents in jail for life.

It is worth to recall that the home area of Ms. Victoire INGABIRE was cordoned off since October 8th 2010 by a heavy security force. Was the police expecting the arrest of the witness when it began the siege of her residence? The whole saga smells a rat.

The FDU INKINGI Support committee sincerely suspects a ploy to fabricate evidence against yet another key member of the democratic opposition. During previous interrogations, the police had all along alleged that two former members of FDLR group were ready to adduce evidence against Ms. INGABIRE. She has never been given a chance to challenge the evidence in a court of law.

The FDU INKINGI leader has been accused of all sorts of deeds since her return to Rwanda in January 2010. But so far the regime has failed to give evidence in a court of law. Instead the regime of General KAGAME kept her under extended house arrest.

The intimidation, harassment and arrest of the FDU-INKINGI Chairperson has been a pretext to reject the registration of the party, and to halt Ms. Victoire INGABIRE in her quest to challenge General Paul KAGAME in the rigged presidential election. She has officially and publicly questioned the legitimacy of the election’s result, as did a number of foreign countries. She also publicly called for accountability and the end of impunity which the regime is enjoying despite war crimes, crimes against humanity committed both in Rwanda and in the DRC.

We call for her immediate release and urge the international community to press upon General KAGAME to stop using his police and justice to settle political scores.

For the FDU INKINGI Support Committee

Eugene Ndahayo, President