Democratic Republic of Congo
08.05.00
Urgent Interventions
Rwanda: Illegal detention/ Torture
URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY
RWA 001 / 0005 / OBS 034
Illegal detention/ Torture
RWANDA
8th May 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your most urgent intervention in the following situation in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory has just been informed by the youth organization, “Collectif des Organisations et Associations des Jeunes du Sud Kivu” (COJESKI) , of the arrest of Bruno Bahati Barhalibiru, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a member of COJESKI, of the Association "Ensemble Pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme" (EDDH), and other non-governmental organizations in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the information received, Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru was arrested on April 22nd 2000 at the frontier post of Katuna, (the border between Rwanda and Uganda), as he was going to Bukavu where he lives, after having taken part in the National Consultation organized in Kinshasa by the Heads of the Religious Faiths.
According to the same information, Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru was transferred to Kigali, Rwanda, to the detention centre of the Gikondo Gendarmerie, where it is alleged he was a victim of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Although the reasons for his detention remain unknown, it would appear that the name of Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru had been on a list of persons to be arrested for several days
The Observatory fears for the physical and moral integrity of Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru. It also considers that the arrest and detention of Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru is merely the consequence of the military involvement of Rwanda in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the continuation of the harassment policy aimed at human rights defenders in the region of Kivu.
Action requested
Please write to the Rwandan authorities urging them to:
i. ensure the immediate release of Bruno Bahati Barhalibiru and to guarantee his physical and psychological integrity as well as to ensure all necessary conditions to enable him to return to his home in complete safety;
ii. put an end to every type of harassment carried out against human rights defenders on the territory under their jurisdiction;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, in particular Article l, according to which "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels";
iv. to conform generally with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional pacts by which Rwanda is bound.
Addresses :
Major Général Paul Kagame, Président de la République, Présidence de la République, BP 15, Kigali, Rwanda. Fax: (+ 250) 84769 ou (+ 250) 84390
Colonel Emmanuel Habyarimana, Ministre de la Défense, Ministère de la Défense, BP 23, Kigali, Rwanda. Fax :(+ 250) 72431 ou (+ 250) 76969
M. Jean de Dieu Mucyo, Ministre de la Justice et des Relations institutionnelles, Ministère de la Justice, BP 160 Kigali,Rwanda. Fax: (+ 250) 865 09
M. Gasana Ndoba, Président Commission National des Droits de l'Homme, BP 269, Kigali, Rwanda. Fax:(+ 250) 82702
Geneva - Paris, 8th May 2000.
Please inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
-----------------------------
L’Observatoire, programme de la FIDH et de l’OMCT, a vocation à protéger les défenseurs des droits de l’Homme victimes de violations et à leur apporter une aide aussi concrète que possible. L’Observatoire a été lauréat 1998 du prix des Droits de l’Homme de la République Française.
Pour contacter l’Observatoire, appeler La Ligne d’Urgence : Fax : (+ 33 - 0 -1) 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 4122 809 49 39
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch
RWA 001 / 0005 / OBS 034
Illegal detention/ Torture
RWANDA
8th May 2000
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the OMCT, requests your most urgent intervention in the following situation in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Brief description of the situation
The Observatory has just been informed by the youth organization, “Collectif des Organisations et Associations des Jeunes du Sud Kivu” (COJESKI) , of the arrest of Bruno Bahati Barhalibiru, a citizen of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a member of COJESKI, of the Association "Ensemble Pour la Défense des Droits de l'Homme" (EDDH), and other non-governmental organizations in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to the information received, Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru was arrested on April 22nd 2000 at the frontier post of Katuna, (the border between Rwanda and Uganda), as he was going to Bukavu where he lives, after having taken part in the National Consultation organized in Kinshasa by the Heads of the Religious Faiths.
According to the same information, Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru was transferred to Kigali, Rwanda, to the detention centre of the Gikondo Gendarmerie, where it is alleged he was a victim of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Although the reasons for his detention remain unknown, it would appear that the name of Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru had been on a list of persons to be arrested for several days
The Observatory fears for the physical and moral integrity of Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru. It also considers that the arrest and detention of Mr. Bahati Barhalibiru is merely the consequence of the military involvement of Rwanda in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the continuation of the harassment policy aimed at human rights defenders in the region of Kivu.
Action requested
Please write to the Rwandan authorities urging them to:
i. ensure the immediate release of Bruno Bahati Barhalibiru and to guarantee his physical and psychological integrity as well as to ensure all necessary conditions to enable him to return to his home in complete safety;
ii. put an end to every type of harassment carried out against human rights defenders on the territory under their jurisdiction;
iii. abide by the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of the UN on December 9th 1998, in particular Article l, according to which "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels";
iv. to conform generally with the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional pacts by which Rwanda is bound.
Addresses :
Major Général Paul Kagame, Président de la République, Présidence de la République, BP 15, Kigali, Rwanda. Fax: (+ 250) 84769 ou (+ 250) 84390
Colonel Emmanuel Habyarimana, Ministre de la Défense, Ministère de la Défense, BP 23, Kigali, Rwanda. Fax :(+ 250) 72431 ou (+ 250) 76969
M. Jean de Dieu Mucyo, Ministre de la Justice et des Relations institutionnelles, Ministère de la Justice, BP 160 Kigali,Rwanda. Fax: (+ 250) 865 09
M. Gasana Ndoba, Président Commission National des Droits de l'Homme, BP 269, Kigali, Rwanda. Fax:(+ 250) 82702
Geneva - Paris, 8th May 2000.
Please inform the Observatory of any action undertaken quoting the code number of this appeal in your reply.
-----------------------------
L’Observatoire, programme de la FIDH et de l’OMCT, a vocation à protéger les défenseurs des droits de l’Homme victimes de violations et à leur apporter une aide aussi concrète que possible. L’Observatoire a été lauréat 1998 du prix des Droits de l’Homme de la République Française.
Pour contacter l’Observatoire, appeler La Ligne d’Urgence : Fax : (+ 33 - 0 -1) 55 80 83 92
Tel FIDH 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 OMCT + 4122 809 49 39
E-mail : observatoire@iprolink.ch