Rwandan opposition leader released on bail

By Kezio-Musoke David
Reuters
Thursday, April 22, 2010

KIGALI (Reuters) - A Rwandan court on Thursday released on bail an opposition leader charged with crimes linked to genocide but banned her from traveling outside the capital Kigali without permission, court sources said.

Victoire Ingabire, who heads one of the country's emerging opposition parties, has been charged with promoting genocide ideology, ethnic division and collaborating with the Interahamwe rebels who carried out atrocities during Rwanda's 1994 genocide.

Under the terms of her release, Ingabire, who has already declared her intention to contest Rwanda's presidential election in August, surrendered her passport to the court and will have to report to police twice a month.

Martin Ngoga, Rwanda's chief prosecutor, said he would produce three former rebels from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) during the trial.

"The three met with Ingabire and discussions included destabilizing the country ahead of the presidential election and offering logistical support," Ngoga told Reuters.

Ingabire faces jail if she is found guilty of the charges which she says are baseless.

Human rights groups criticize Rwanda for planning the presidential election without a meaningful opposition to President Paul Kagame's ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).

The emerging opposition groups say they face harassment, intimidation and legal and administrative barriers to registration, adding they may form one bloc to oppose the RPF.

Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the 1994 genocide.

(Editing by Richard Lough and Mark Heinrich)