Six new parties call for release of political detainees

Six new political parties in Burundi have demanded the immediate release of opposition politicians Jean-Baptiste Bagaza and Charles Mukasi. The leaders of the parties, these being the Alliance liberale pour le developpement (Alide), Nouvelle alliance pour la democratie et le developpement au Burundi (Naddebu), Sangwe-Parti pour la democratie et la reconciliation (Sangwe-Pader), Parti politique pour la justice et le developpement-Intazimiza (Pajudé-Intazimiza), Societe non violente (Sonovi) and the Union pour la paix et le developpement (UPD) - made their demand at a news conference on the country's prevailing political situation, in the capital, Bujumbura, on Saturday. Both political leaders should be released, Sangwe-Pader President Augustin Nzojibwami said, because "neither have been charged and they are, moreover, victims of their political opinions". Bagaza, the leader of the Parti pour le redressement national (Parena), is under house arrest, and Mukasi, who heads Union pour le progres national (Uprona), is in prison. Nzojibwami said Bagaza's house arrest violated his rights as a senator; the state prosecutor had failed to write to the Senate to have Bagaza's immunity against prosecution lifted; the Senate had not ordered Bagaza to attend a meeting to discuss his case; and the law providing for house arrest had been abolished. As for Mukasi, Nzojibwami said, he had a right to his political opinion as posted on the Internet, which nobody controls. Mukasi had called for the restoration of the rule of law. In a report on Sunday, the Net Press agency recalled that Burundi President Pierre Buyoya had ordered provincial governors and military commanders to "use political, administrative, judicial and police" powers to restrain people and organisations demanding the restoration of the rule of law.