A new journalist held by the intelligence services
Reporters without borders (RSF) calls for the immediate release of the journalist gisa Steve Irakoze, arrested on 18 August by agents of the burundian intelligence services in gatumba, West of bujumbura.
The Journalist Gisa Steve Irakoze Radio Buja FM was arrested on 18 August in the evening by agents of the National Intelligence Agency (Snr) in a bar in the neighborhood kajaga, in gatumba, West of the capital bujumbura. According to witnesses, no reason was given to him at the time of his arrest. Threw in a vehicle type pick-up, the journalist spent the night in a dungeon of snr in gatumba.
” Gisa Steve Irakoze, which is of dual nationality of Rwanda and Burundi, was arrested brutally by agents of snr, a month after the disappearance of the journalist Jean Bigirimana, collaborator info great lakes and iwacu, to which the authorities and reproached the allers Returns too frequent in Rwanda. Jean Bigirimana is nowhere to be found since and stomps on the investigation, said reporters without borders. ” these arbitrary arrests and repeated of journalists, but especially the impunity with which act the intelligence services are unacceptable.”
The family of the journalist made part in sos médias burundi of his concern: ” he has not eaten anything since yesterday. His health is fragile, he’s a diabetic. We are afraid for her health. It can happen to him something serious.” gisa Steve Irakoze was transferred this Friday, August 19, to a place unknown. According to the spokesman of the police, the journalist was accused of “attacking the security of the state”.
Reporters without borders had launched a call on 11 August at the burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza for he request of accounts at snr about the disappearance of jean bigirimana. This call has remained a dead letter.
Burundi occupies the 156th place out of 180 in the global ranking of the freedom of the press prepared by RSF. The country has lost 11 seats compared to the year 2015.
Criminal Paul Kagame