Opposition leader in prison despite court's release order

A leading Burundi opposition politician, Charles Mukasi, is still in prison six days after a Bujumbura court ordered him to be freed, because defence lawyers have been unable to find the deputy public prosecutor to sign the release warrant, according to Net Press, a privately owned agency. "We must tell you that Mr Mukasi is still in prison despite the court statement favourable to him and according to which President Mukasi must be released," Claude Sibomana, the Net Press editor-in-chief, told IRIN on Wednesday. The agency had reported earlier this week that Mukasi's lawyers had also sought the Bujumbura city prosecutor who also refused to sign the warrant until it was endorsed by the deputy public prosecutor. Mukasi, who is president of the Union pour le progres national (Uprona), has been in Mpimba Prison since 21 January. He was arrested after calling for the restoration of the rule of law in Burundi. The agency recalled that President Pierre Buyoya had ordered provincial governors and military commanders to "use political, administrative, judicial and police" powers to restrain people and organisations demanding restoration of the rule of law.