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Former president still in jail, one year later

    NAIROBI

    Former Rwandan President Pasteur Bizimungu, who was arrested on 23 April 2002 in Kigali for allegedly engaging in illegal political activity, is still in prison awaiting trial, news organisations reported on Wednesday.

    Bizimungu and the former minister for public works, Charles Ntakirutinka, were arrested and accused of possessing documents that called for civil disobedience, dividing Rwandans and threatening state security. Their attempts to be released on bail pending their trial have been turned down, most recently in February by the Kigali Court of Appeal.

    Bizimungu faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of US $227 if convicted.

    Bizimungu, a Hutu, was named president of Rwanda's government of national unity formed in July 1994, after the genocide in which some 800,000 Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus were killed. Before that, he held a series of senior posts in the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF).

    He resigned as president in April 2000, citing differences with the RPF, and was replaced by then Vice-President Paul Kagame.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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