Inkingi Forces Démocratiques Unifiées United Democratic Forces ++250 078583600  [email protected] www.fdu-udf.org www.victoire2010.com Kigali -Rwanda “Pour un Etat de Droit, la Democratie et l’Egalité de chances” ; "For the rule of law, democracy and equal opportunity"

Press release Kigali, 21 February 2010

RWANDAN GOVERNMENT PLANS TO ARREST MS. VICTOIRE INGABIRE A WEEK BEFORE THE PARTY CONSTITUTIONAL CONGRESS. Since the arrival of the delegation of the United Democratic Forces, UDF Inkingi, led by its President Ms. Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, there has been a systematic smear campaign against her, acts of intimidation and threats from senior government officials, state media and partisan papers as well. This time, there is reliable information that Ms. Victoire Ingabire is going to be arrested and charged with illegal political activities, genocide ideology, divisionism and terrorist activities. The arrest of our national leader will not deter our non-violent action. We call upon Rwandans to remain mobilised because nothing will daunt this wind of change. The Criminal Investigation Department has issued a fresh summon for the 22nd February 2010 at 13:00 and Ms. Victoire Ingabire will face new criminal charges. This is the third time in less than two weeks, she is responding to politically motivated criminal accusations. The government has devised a new tactic in the war of attrition to wear down her morale by consistently summoning her for interrogations before an arranged detention. We strongly believe that these acts are part of a wider strategy to stop the registration of our political party. We also believe that these acts are intended to discourage our supporters from coming forward to the UDF General congress planned for Friday, 26th February 2010. We condemn all acts of violence from whichever source and for this reason we condemn in the strongest terms possible the barbaric acts of violence that occurred in Kigali in the night of the 19th February 2010 and cost the lives of innocent and defenceless citizens. Tel : (+250) 078583600 [email protected] http://www.fdu-rwanda.org – http://www.victoire2010.com Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoire-Ingabire-Umuhoza-forPresident/109504816547 - Watch us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FDUInkingi123 - Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VictoireUmuhoza

We hope that these acts of violence will not be used as a pretext to arrest hundreds or thousands of the so called “interahamwe collaborators or accomplices”. We are shocked that these barbaric acts are happening three days before Ms. Victoire Ingabire is again grilled by the CID on “undisclosed criminal activities” and only a week before the meeting of the UDF-INKINGI constitutional congress in Rwanda. It is obviously against the spirit and interests of our political organisation. We call upon the government to investigate and bring the culprits to justice in due process of law. We recall that on 3 February, Victoire Ingabire and her aide Joseph Ntawangundi were attacked in government offices where they had been called to collect documents needed for the party’s registration. Her aide, Joseph Ntawangundi was severely beaten under the watchful eyes of government officials. He was later detained on allegation that he participated in the 1994 genocide. The authorities have been unable to produce the Gacaca trial records and instead he has been secretly moved from Kimironko detention facility to Mpanga prison. Reliable sources indicate that he could be any time transferred to Nsinda detention facility for a secret new trial. We call upon the government to end its war of attrition against the President of UDF Inkingi and to ensure that citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly are respected. We call upon our members and all peace loving people to keep their eyes on the prize: peace, reconciliation and democracy in Rwanda, and not to be discouraged by acts of desperation meant to wear down their determination and distract them from focussing on the prize.

FDU-UDF INKINGI KIGALI, RWANDA.

Tel : (+250) 078583600 [email protected] 2 http://www.fdu-rwanda.org – http://www.victoire2010.com Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoire-Ingabire-Umuhoza-forPresident/109504816547 - Watch us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/FDUInkingi123 - Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VictoireUmuhoza