Advertisement

Rights body probing torture claims over Kagame third term

Sunday February 21 2016
rwa supporters

Rwandans react during the Constitution amendment debate in parliament on July 14, 2015, on whether to allow President Paul Kagame a third term in office. PHOTO | FILE

Transparency International is investigating claims of harassment and torture by a Rwandan who says he is being victimised after he opposed the amendment of the Constitution to allow President Paul Kagame to run for a third term in office.

The agency has assigned two officials to Vitus Nshimiyimana, to be with him at all times to observe and record any kind of harassment that he may face.

According to Imaculee Ingabire, chairperson of Transparency Rwanda, Mr Nshimiyimana had reported to the agency that he had been tortured because he petitioned parliament against changing the Constitution.

“We are investigating this claim and we will also investigate the different institutions and individuals that are alleged to be behind his torture,” the official said.

Mr Nshimiyimana, a resident of Rwamagana district, Eastern province, handed a petition to Parliament late last year, stating his disapproval of a constitutional amendment.

His lone petition stood against another petition that had 3.7 million signatures calling for the amendment of article 101 of the Constitution, which barred President Kagame from contesting for a third term once his two terms expired in 2017.

Advertisement

The Constitution was later amended with over 98 per cent votes in favour, and President Kagame thereafter declared his intention to run for a third term.

READ: Rwanda votes yes to allow Kagame extend his rule

ALSO READ: Kagame praises referendum, says no term limit on progress

Rwandan president confirms third term run

Although Mr Nshimiyimana’s petition achieved nothing, his action was not forgotten.

Since then, he says, he has been tortured, segregated, jailed illegally, and was almost strangled to death by unknown assailants.

“My rights are violated day and night by police, local authorities and people wearing civilian clothes,” he said.

When contacted for comment, police spokesperson Celestin Twahirwa said he was not aware of the allegations, but that if it was submitted to the CID, “they are pursuing it.”

However, Madeleine Nirere, chairperson of the Rwanda Human Right Commission said that her organisation knew about the case “a long time ago” and that she is sure it is “being investigated and handled properly.”

But in an interview, Mr Nshimiyimana said he believed that the police and concerned NGOs were not doing enough to protect him.

“I reported to the Rwanda Human Right Commission, I was promised that I would get assistance but the investigations ended in vain. I constantly updated them whenever I received threats but they ignored me,” he said.

He added that local authorities went as far as intimidating his sister by asking her whether he has ties to rebel groups or exiled officials.

After this escapade, he allegedly decided to leave his wife and children and relocate to another area.

“I approached the DPC at Kimironko police station and narrated to him everything, and asked him to protect me. He instead referred me to Remera police station, where they denied me a stamp and signature acknowledging reception,” he said. “Thereafter, the security operatives searched me everywhere, undressed and took all my documents, which included my academic transcripts and documents showing information about my torture.”

After that, Mr Nshimiyimana said he was jailed at Kayonza police station, where he was forced to sign a paper acknowledging that he had been arrested over a debt he had failed to pay.

When he was released, he said that he had tried to travel to Uganda but was stopped by Immigration officers.

When contacted, the former Immigration spokesperson, Ange Sebutege admitted to having received a complaint letter from Mr Nshimiyimana “who was stopped from crossing into Uganda from Gatuna border on December 31, 2015,” but he refused to reveal reasons.

Opposition members have come out to criticise this alleged torture and asked the government for immediate intervention.

Jean Claude Ntezimana, the general secretary of the Democratic Green Party — Rwanda’s most vocal opposition party — said that the government should not accept the mistreatment of Mr Nshimiyimanaa because it is unconstitutional and makes them “look bad” to the world.

“I don’t see why he is being treated like a traitor. As a Rwandan it is his constitutional right to air his views freely. The authorities should intervene and give the man back his peace and Rwandan values,” he said.

Advertisement