Rwanda: Ms. Victoire Ingabire to Spend Second Christmas in Jail

It is approaching the end of the year, and Christmas is around the corner. Our heroine and democracy activist, Victoire Ingabre will be spending her second Christmas in jail away from her husband and children. In this struggle, it is important that we honor those who sacrifice on a daily basis on our behalf. Let us keep Victoire Ingabire in our prayers. The sword of the oppressor is not mightier than truth. Ultimately, victory is for those who labor for freedom and liberty.

You can also donate to Foundation for Democracy In Rwanda. The organizations helps assist offset the cost of legal trial for Victoire Ingabire and other political prisoners in Rwanda.

Below is an update of Ms. Ingabire's trial by Dutch journalist Anneke Verbraeken. Ms. Verbraeken is a personal friend of Ms. Ingabire and covered her during last year's presidential election. She has since been banned from ever visiting Rwanda again. Merry Christmas to all of you!

Monday december 19, 2011

On December 16^th  the High Court declined the new bail motion. So for the second time, opposition leader Victoire Ingabire will spend her Christmas in jail. Bail was requested based on the lack of serious evidence and because of inconsistencies and contradictions in the evidence. 

However, the judge told Ingabire that she was prosecuted for grave crimes and that the High Court has not yet received the whole evidence. The judge is probably referring to the documents sent from the Netherlands. They have to be translated. Although, translated? Most of the pages are lists of telephone calls made by Ingabire and others during a number of years. Even without a translation they are easily understood.

The trial of Ingabire worries president Paul Kagame. The trial worries him so much, he speaks about it in public, something which is absolutely not done. Political leaders don’t talk about guilty or not during someones trial. It’s part of the ‘trias politica’ principle: the separation of powers. For your information, president Kagame: with the Trias Politica the state is divided in three separate branches (executive, legislature judiciary), each with it’s independent powers and responsibilities. It means the executive branch (you for instance) doesn’t meddle with the judiciary, the trial of Ingabire in this case.

The trial of Ingabire also worries the Dutch government. But in what way it’s hard to tell. Holland was very quick in saying ‘yes’ to the demands of Rwanda. ‘You want information, you want files, you want us to do house searches for you? But off course.’ And off they went to get everything done for Rwanda, after a positive advice of the Dutch ministry of Foreign Affairs. One day before her bail was denied, the Dutch ambassador Frans Makken visited Ingabire in jail.

The trial will continue on januari 16^th 2012.