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Take Action for Aloys Habimana

About Aloys HabimanaPlease send this letter and stand with Aloys Habimana.Case History

Status: Released

Aloys Habimana

Aloys Habimana

Violations: 
#Arrest / Detention / Imprisonment
Location: 
#Region: Africa
Mail: 

Président Pierre Nkurunziza
Boulevard de l’Indépendance
Bujumbura, Burundi
B.P.: 1870 Bujumbura

Email: 

pierre.nkurunziza@burundi.gov.bi

Fax: 

+257 2222 7490

+257 2224 8908

On 17 February 2018 Front Line Defenders staff member Aloys Habimana was detained in Burundi at the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo at approximately 12pm. Another person with whom he was travelling was also detained. It is believed that they are currently being held by the Service National de Renseignements (SNR – National Intelligence Services) in Bujumbura.

Aloys Habimana is Front Line Defenders’ Protection Coordinator for east and southern Africa and has worked with the organisation since 2012. Prior to working with Front Line Defenders, Aloys Habimana was deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Africa Division and previous to that, he worked to monitor and document human rights abuses in his native Rwanda.

At around midday on 17 February 2018, Aloys Habimana and a person with whom he was travelling were detained in Gatumba in Burundi as they prepared to cross the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to local human rights defenders, they were taken by the SNR and are believed to be held in Bujumbura. At present there are no further details concerning their whereabouts. The SNR has been responsible for numerous cases of torture and ill-treatment of human rights defenders and political opponents and as such, serious concerns exist for the well-being of Aloys Habimana and his travel companion.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Burundi to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Aloys Habimana and his travel companion.

2. Ensure that the treatment of Aloys Habimana and his travel companion while in detention adheres to the conditions set out in the ‘Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment', adopted by UN General Assembly resolution 43/173 of 9 December 1988;

3. Cease targeting all human rights defenders in Burundi and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

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