Investigations by CNIDH could not help find journalist Jean Bigirimana. But there is some hope he is still alive.
CNIDH president Jean Baptiste Baribonekeza
Is journalist Jean Bigirimana still alive? Where is he? Journalists were anxious as they waited for the results of investigations by the CNIDH (National Independent Commission on Human Rights) this Friday morning. “Despite inquiries conducted so far, the CNIDH has not yet found neither journalist Jean Bigirimana nor information about his current whereabouts”, said CNIDH president Jean Baptiste Baribonekeza at the press conference.
A CNIDH delegation went to Muramvya where Jean Bigirimana is said to have been abducted. According to sources on the spot, the abductors were suspected to be agents of the National Intelligence Service. Baribonekeza informed journalists that they inspected the home of the intelligence service head in Muramvya. Neither journalist Jean Bigirimana nor any other detainee was found. Besides, the CNIDH is not aware of any intelligence service detention house in Muramvya province. The delegation also searched for the journalist in Muramvya police detention centres but in vain.
Despite the complete lack of information about what became of the journalist, Chairman Baribonekeza remains hopeful as no information leading to the journalist death has been found.
Journalist Jean Bigirimana was newly recruited by Iwacu Press Group. He disappeared in the afternoon of Friday July 22. A female who identified herself as a friend of the journalist called the Iwacu Chief Editor to inform him Jean had just been abducted by intelligence service agents.
The reasons of his disappearance are still unknown, the authors unidentified. Inquiries conducted by Iwacu to locate him remains inconclusive. As for the police, they have retreated into silence except one tweet by the police spokesman denying that the journalist had been kidnapped by intelligence service agents. He also said the police did not detain him.
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