At least seven people from the Gasenyi area in Nyarusange commune of Gitega central province have been detained in Gitega jail since 10 July. “They were arrested by the police accompanied by some youth of the ruling party CNDD-FDD around 8 p.m.,” sources say, adding that “five of those who were apprehended are of the same family. They were coming from another family in the locality where they were having a drink.”
Nyarusange commune office
The same sources say that detainees were accused of violating the curfew imposed at 8 p.m. by the head of the police station. They spent the Wednesday night in the municipal cell before being transferred to the police station in Gitega.
The seven detainees were heard on Saturday on the charge of holding a secret meeting. They were later on transferred to Gitega prison this Monday July 15, 2019.
A.H, a local leader of CNL party in Nyarusange commune says five among seven detainees are members of this opposition party. He denounces an arbitrary detention motivated by political reasons. “The fact they changed the accusation against our comrades hides something”.
He believes that the detainees would have been victims of the political affiliation of a brother of two among them who is a leader of CNL in Nyarusange. “He’s been wanted for a long time. The CNDD-FDD youth believed he was with them,” he says.
Ferdinand Nkurikiye, Administrator of Nyarusange commune recognizes the arrest and imprisonment of seven people. He, however, says he does not know the political identity of these detainees and the reasons behind their arrest. He also indicates that he is not aware of the curfew imposed at 8 p.m. in his commune.
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