Political Prisoners

Kigali 10th November 2011 After a one week postponement to allow the prosecutor’s «witnesses» to review the “cross-examination” on pre-submitted questionnaire, the show resumed today in Kigali Court. The judges are now pushing for a speedy process in order to wrap the case as soon as possible. This leaves a big question: can really the Rwandan […]

Kigali, 03rd November 2011 The High Court has adjourned for a week the political trial of Madame Ingabire in order to allow the prosecutor’s witnesses to homework their answers for cross-examination questions. They have received the questions from the defense counsel deemed by the court to need a prior preparation. The court decided that Madame Ingabire […]

Kigali 2nd November 2011 Yesterday, on the request of the National prosecution authority, the High Court of Kigali denied the defence counsel of Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, chairperson of FDU-Inkingi opposition party the right to cross-examine the “key witnesses”. The court ordered the defence counsel to pre-submit a list of questions in order to decide on […]

Kigali, 1st November 2011 On the request of the National prosecution authority the High Court retracted its previous authorisation and denied the defense counsel the right to cross-examine the prosecutor’s witnesses on terror charges. The presiding judge ordered the defense team to pre-submit a list of all the questions in order to decide which one […]

Kigali, 26st October 2011 The political prisoner Madame Victoire Ingabire defended her case on the counts of complicity to acts of terrorism and conspiracy to overthrow the government, today in a Kigali High Court. In contempt of defence protests to photocopy personal handnotes of Madame Ingabire, the presiding judge ordered on stage to copy her […]

Kigali, le 18 Octobre 2011 Le procès politique de Madame Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, présidente du parti d’opposition FDU-Inkingi, est maintenant à l’étape des plaidoiries sur le fond. Depuis le 13 Octobre 2011, elle se défend contre des accusations criminelles en rapport avec l’idéologie du génocide et le divisionnisme. La Haute Cour, clairement hostile et s’étant […]

Kigali 20 October 2011 In limbo for weeks, the kangaroo trial of the Rwandan opposition leader Madame Victoire Ingabire, is now in a dead end. It has been adjourned until 24 October 2011 on the request of the defence counsel, visibly humbled by repeated harassments and threats aired by the presiding judge Alice Rulisa in […]

Kigali, le 13 Octobre 2011 “Je suis une prisonnière politique (…) N’ayez pas peur, rien n’arrêtera le changement politique en cours”, a déclaré Mme Ingabire à la Haute Cour aujourd’hui après que la juge qui présidait les audiences a ordonné de procéder. Kigali, 13 October 2011   “I am a political prisoner (…) don’t be […]

Kigali, 10 October  2011 Today, after the defence counsel closing arguments on non-retroactivity of the criminal law,   the territorial jurisdiction of the High Court on some counts and violations of the Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda, art. 18 (3) granting the right to be informed of the nature and cause of charges; the presiding […]

Kigali, 06 October  2011 Yesterday, the prosecutors exhausted all legal moves to obtain a life sentence for the opposition leader and are now engaged in a disrespectful war, accusing the defence counsel of delaying tactics fearing the evidential stage. The opposition leader, Madame Victoire Ingabire, now completing  one year in maximum security told the court “I […]