A sad anniversary

By Antoine Kaburahe

In two days’ time, our colleagues, Agnès, Christine, Egide and Térence will complete one year in prison. For nothing. And yet there are fine speeches, every day. Speeches about a “calm” country, run by a government described as “mvyeyi” (good parent). But which parent would lock up its children in jail for a year? A year in prison for nothing while Burundi is run by a party that proclaims “the defence of democracy”, even in its acronym. In two days’ time, Burundi will show the world that four journalists can rot in prison for nothing. Despite showing extraordinary creativity to come up with charges against them, the judges did not manage to prove the accusation that was put forward: “passing intelligence to the enemy”. An incredibly vague accusation, used since the dawn of time. History repeats itself. In other lands and in other times, “passing intelligence to the enemy” sent innocent people to the scaffold or the gulag. As a reminder, on 22 October 2019, the journalists were arrested as they were reporting on events in Bubanza, where there had been tensions. Yet the journalists had even informed the local authorities. Tell me how you treat journalists and I will tell you who you are…

In two days’ time, our colleagues, Agnès, Christine, Egide and Térence will complete one year in prison