A young journalist belonging to an online radio station that is highly critical of the authorities and which broadcasts from abroad has just been sentenced to ten years in prison, officially for ” undermining the internal security of the state “. The Department of Justice confirmed this in a tweet two days ago.
Floriane Irangabiye, who has lived in neighboring Rwanda for almost a decade, had decided according to relatives to return to Burundi for the first time since the 2015 crisis, two years after the entry into office of President Evariste Ndayishimiye who advocates change. and some openness. She had been reassured by the fact that since then, some medium-sized opponents have returned from exile and some young people who have demonstrated abroad against the third term are beginning to return to Burundi on vacation in complete peace of mind.
Floriane Irangabiye thought that she too had nothing to fear according to one of her relatives. Problem, the young journalist animates a political debate rather well followed on one of these online radio stations broadcasting from abroad, and that the Burundian government does not support.
She was arrested on August 30 by the very dreaded Burundian intelligence services and will spend eight days incommunicado before being charged. She was imprisoned in a prison in Bujumbura before being transferred to Muyinga, 250 km east of the economic capital of the country. It is experienced as a punishment by his family because Burundian detainees can sometimes spend a week without receiving their food ration from the prison administration, and rely on family supplies to survive in overcrowded cells.
Finally, the young Burundian journalist was judged to be homeless in her prison on Tuesday. Several members of his family, who were present on the spot, were unable to attend the trial, which took place behind closed doors, according to relatives and a judicial source.
She was sentenced to ten years in prison for “ undermining the internal security of the state “and a fine of 450 euros, for” undermining the internal security of the state “, without any specific fact being attributed to him, assure several human rights NGOs.
The only reproach pointed out by the Burundian Ministry of Justice in one of its tweets on Saturday evening: “ She could not present her press card despite claiming to be a journalist “.