Banned Books Week
BURUNDI
Aloys Kabura (m)
journalist detained
Aloys Kabura, a journalist with l'Association Burundaise de Presse, has developed a severe medical condition during detention in Ngozi prison in northern Burundi. He reportedly is detained with several other inmates in a cell nine meters square, without visits by health professionals. Prisons in Burundi often are overcrowded and unsanitary; detention can amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
Aloys Kabura was arrested on 1 June 2006, after he reportedly made comments in a bar criticizing the conduct of the national police forces when they detained, and in some cases severely assaulted, around 30 journalists at a press conference held at the house of parliamentarian Matthias Basabose (of the National Council for the Defense of Democracy / Forces for the Defense of Democracy), in Kinindo, Bujumbura on 17 April 2006.
His pre-trial detention - on charges of inciting "contempt in relation to the established powers, to agents of public authorities" - was in violation of the pre-trial detention provisions of the Burundi penal code, so a new, backdated arrest warrant was issued to strengthen the grounds for continuing detention. On 29 June 2006, the Ngozi appeal court stated that it did not find any irregularities in the procedure and confirmed the alleged legality of the pretrial detention of Aloys Kabura.
His High Court hearing in Kayanza is scheduled to resume on 1 September 2006. A human rights monitor in attendance has questioned the impartiality of the presiding judge. If Aloys Kabura is convicted, Amnesty International will consider him to be a prisoner of conscience, detained solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of speech.
As a state party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Burundi has an obligation to ensure freedom of expression.
Please express concern about the health of Aloys Kabura and urge his immediate and unconditional release, as he has been detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression.
Madame Clotilde Niragira
Ministère de la Justice
BP 1880
Bujumbura
Burundi
Fax: 011 257 21 86 10
Salutation: Madame la Ministre
Ambassador Antoine Ntamobwa
Embassy of the Republic of Burundi
2233 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Suite 212
Washington, DC 20007
Fax: 1-202-342-2578
Salutation: Your Excellency
Airmail postage abroad: 84¢
