A CALL TO ACTION: WRITE TO THE PRESIDENT OF SPAIN AND YOUR OWN HEAD OF STATE

Platform Stop Impunity in Rwanda calls for urgent measures to check the status of the Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza imprisoned for political reasons and requests the Rwandan government for her immediate release.

A CALL TO ACTION: WRITE TO THE PRESIDENT OF SPAIN AND YOUR OWN HEAD OF STATE

Platform Stop Impunity in Rwanda appeals to all political and civil organizations, all government and their institutions and, especially, the Spanish society to take action and pressure the RPF regime that governs Rwanda to free from jail all political prisoners, including Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza

BACKGROUND

On 14 October, the opposition leader Umuhoza Victoire Ingabire was jailed.

Platform Stop Impunity in Rwanda is extremely concerned about the fate this opposition leader may face in police custody and calls to the Spanish Foreign Office and the Honorary Consul of Spain in Rwanda, Betty Mutesi, to urgently show interest in the state of health of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza in prison and to convey the concern of the Platform and the large part of international civil society that supports the cause.

We consider her arrest, and previous arrests of political opponents by the RPF a serious violation of human rights, and affront to peace and stability in the region.

Since its formation last July, the BIR platform has reasserted global action against the impunity enjoyed by RPF, Rwanda’s ruling party, and its president, Paul Kagame, despite being accused of serious crimes against humanity and genocide.

Since 2008, a judicial procedure against 40 senior officials of the RPF for "crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, crimes against persons and property protected in case of armed conflict, for integration in a terrorist organization, terrorist acts, pillaging of natural resources and the murder of nine Spanish citizens” is open in Spain. For this reason we consider that the Spanish society and its institutions cannot assist indifferent to this abuse of human rights.

We recall that the UN has recently published several reports that expose the criminal nature of the RPF and its leaders, something that has already asserted the said writ of Judge Fernando Andreu Merelles.

The report "Report of the Mapping Exercise Documenting The Most Serious Violations of human rights and International Humanitarian Law Committed Within the Territory of the DRC Between March 1993 and June 2003" and the Gersony Report, which remained banned and arrested in the UN since 1994, that even then showed that the FPR, with Paul Kagame at the helm, had committed serious crimes against humanity and systematic violations of human rights in the Great Lakes region of Africa.

LATEST INFORMATION ON THE STATUS of VICTOIRE INGABIRE

“October 16, 2010.

The detained opposition leader, Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza INKINGI FDU-President, is being exposed to humiliating treatment. According to reliable information from the police station Kicukiro, Ms. Victoire Ingabire has been continuously handcuffed and naked from her arrest on October 14, 2010. The guards have not left she would be supplied, mattresses or bedding. The lawyer, who was only allowed to visit her October 16, has said she is in terrible and humiliating conditions. And it has been denied access to Red Cross staff in the morning”.

This is why we request your participation once again with this CALL TO ACTION to activist concerned with human rights, the international community, the media and governments to pressure General Paul Kagame and his regime to respect and guarantee human rights in Rwanda.

CALL TO ACTION:

Get involved and write to the own Head of State. Spread the word among contacts, websites and social networks. Do not forget to ask for their involvement in the action.

WRITE TO THE PRESIDENT OF SPAIN:

Jose Luís Rodriquez Zapatero, jlrzapatero@presidencia.gob.es

With copy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain at gabinete.ministro@maec.es

and Spanish Honorary Consul in Rwanda Ms. Betty Mutesi, at mutesi.betty@gmail.com

Request:

1. to change his passive attitude and attend with urgency the violation of human rights in Rwanda.
2. to urgently show interest in the state of health of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza in prison.

3. to demand the release of all political prisoners in Rwanda, including Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza.

Source: Stop Impunity in Rwanda