Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire, musician Kizito Mihigo and 2,138 others were released in a surprise move on Saturday, following a cabinet meeting on Friday when a presidential "mercy" order was approved. Both Ingabire and Mihigo had made requests for clemency in June.

"I thank the president who gave me this liberation," Ingabire said as she left Mageragere Prison in Kigali. "This is the beginning of the opening of political space in Rwanda, I hope so."

Ingabire called on President Paul Kagame: "To release other political prisoners." Hundreds more are believed to be behind bars, including Diane Rwigara whose attempt to stand in last year's elections was thwarted over allegations she forged signatures on her nomination papers. She was then charged with inciting insurrection against the state.

Parliamentary elections were held on September 2 and final results are expected on Sunday.

Long sentences

The opposition, ethnic Hutu leader, Ingabire has been in jail since 2010 when she returned from exile in the Netherlands to run for president.

Instead she was arrested and charged with terrorism and treason. She was given a ten year sentence for "genocide ideology" and "divisionism" after she raised questions over the 1994 genocide of mostly Tutsi people which left 800,000 people dead.

Mihigo was arrested in 2015 and jailed for 10 years on charges of conspiracy to murder the president.

Kagame's rebel army brought the genocide in 1994 under control. Since taking power he has changed the constitution, allowing him to retain power until 2034.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide A signal to extremists On April 6, 1994, unidentified attackers shot down a plane carrying Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana as it was about to land at Kigali airport. President Habyarimana, his Burundian counterpart and eight other passengers died in the crash. The next day organized killings began. Massacres continued over the course of three months, and at least 800,000 Rwandans lost their lives.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Targeted killings After the assassination of the president, Hutu extremists attacked the Tutsi minority and Hutus who stood in their way. The murderers were well prepared and targeted human rights activists, journalists and politicians. One of the first victims on April 7 was Prime Minister Agathe Uwiringiymana.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Foreign nationals rescued While thousands of Rwandans were being killed every day, Belgian and French special forces evacuated about 3,500 foreigners. On April 13, Belgian paratroopers rescued seven German employees and their families from Deutsche Welle's relay transmitting station in Kigali. Only 80 of 120 local staff members survived the genocide.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Appeals for help As early as January 1994, UNAMIR commander Romeo Dallaire wanted to act on information he had received about an "anti-Tutsi extermination" plot. The warning he sent to the UN on January 11, later known as the "genocide fax", went unheard. And his desperate appeals after the genocide began were rejected by Kofi Annan, who was Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations at the time.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Hate media The Mille Collines radio station (RTLM) and Kangura, a weekly magazine, stoked ethnic hatred. In 1990 Kangura published the racist "Hutu Ten Commandments." Mille Collines radio, which was popular for its pop music and sports programs, fuelled the genocide by urging Hutu civilians to hunt down and kill Tutsis. Director Milo Rau devoted his film "Hate Radio" to these appalling broadcasts (photo).

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Refuge in a hotel In Kigali, Paul Rusesabagina hid over 1,000 people in the Hotel Des Mille Collines. Rusesabagina had taken over the position of the hotel's Belgian manager, who left the country. With a great deal of alcohol and money, he managed to prevent Hutu militias from killing the refugees. In many other places where people sought refuge, they were not able to escape the slaughter.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Massacres in churches Churches were no longer sanctuaries. About 4,000 men, women and children were murdered with axes, knives and machetes in the church of Ntarama near Kigali. Today the church is one of the country's many genocide memorials. Rows of skulls, human bones as well as bullet marks in the walls are a reminder of what happened there.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide France's role The French government maintained close ties to the Hutu regime. When the French army intervened in June, it enabled soldiers and militiamen responsible for the genocide to flee to Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, and take their weapons with them. They still pose a threat to Rwanda today.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Streams of refugees During the genocide, millions of Rwandan Tutsis and Hutus fled to Tanzania, Zaire and Uganda. Two million of them went to Zaire alone. They included former members of the army and perpetrators of the genocide, who soon founded the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia that is still terrorizing the population in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo today.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Capture of the capital On July 4, 1994, rebels from the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) patrolled the area around the Church of the Holy Family in Kigali. By that time they had liberated most of the country and routed the perpetrators of the genocide. However, human rights activists also accused the rebels of committing crimes, for which no one has been held accountable to this day.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide End of the genocide On July 18, 1994, the RPF's leader, Major General Paul Kagame, declared that the war against the government troops was over. The rebels were in control of the capital and other important towns. Initially, they installed a provisional government. Paul Kagame became Rwanda's president in the year 2000.

100 days of slaughter: Rwanda's genocide Lasting scars The genocide went on for almost three months. The victims were often slaughtered with machetes. Neighbors killed neighbors. Not even babies and elderly people were spared, and the streets were strewn with corpses and body parts. It's not only the physical scars on the bodies of the survivors that remind Rwandans of the genocide. There is also a deep trauma. Author: Andrea Schmidt / gu



jm/mm (Reuters, AFP)

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>, KIGALI, Rwanda, Sep 15 – Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was unexpectedly freed from jail on Saturday after President Paul Kagame permitted her early release, alongside two thousand other prisoners.

“I thank the president who gave me this liberation,” Ingabire said as she left Mageragere Prison in the capital Kigali. “This is the beginning of the opening of political space in Rwanda, I hope so,” she added calling on Kagame “to release other political prisoners.”

The surprise release of 2,140 prisoners, including Ingabire and musician Kizito Mihigo, followed a cabinet meeting on Friday at which a presidential order of “mercy” was approved.

Ingabire returned from exile in the Netherlands intending to run for president in 2010 as leader of the FDU-Inkingi party.

However, she was arrested, charged with terrorism and treason and sentenced in 2012 to 10 years in jail after a widely criticised trial.

Ingabire, an ethnic Hutu, was accused of “genocide ideology” and “divisionism” after publicly questioning the government narrative of the 1994 genocide of mostly Tutsi people that killed around 800,000 people.

Rwandan musician Mihigo was arrested in 2015 and jailed for 10 years for conspiring to assassinate the president.

Kagame has been the country’s de facto ruler since his rebel army stopped the genocide in 1994 and recently changed the constitution clearing the way for him to rule until 2034.</s>Ishakwe – Rwanda Freedom Movement takes note of the announcement by the government of Rwanda on September 14th 2018 to release from prison about 2000 people including two key political opponents.

A presidential pardon was extended to political prisoners Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza and Kizito Mihigo. We congratulates Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, President of the opposition party FDU Inkingi, for her outstanding courage and dedication.

We hope that she will be allowed to register her political party, to recover all her civil and political rights and to enjoy her freedom of movements.

We commend the pressure exerted on President Paul Kagame and the efforts of the international community and bilateral partners of Rwanda in this respect.

Though the way to freedom in Rwanda seems but a dream, those efforts should continue until all political or opinion prisoners, human rights activists, journalists and religious leaders are set free.

The never ending violations of human rights, political and civil rights in Rwanda should stop with no further delay.</s>We have received with great joy the news about the release of Mrs.

 Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, President of FDU-Inkingi. We are also pleased

 that another prisoner of conscience, Mr Kizito Mihigo, has been released

 at the same time with 2138 other prisoners.

We are pleased that the rights of our hero and icon of democracy, Mrs

 Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, have finally been acknowledged even though

 after 8 years of unjust detention.

The UDF-Inkingi party would like to recall that judgment No. 003/2014 of

 the African Court of Human and Peoples ‘ Rights of 24 November 2017 in

 the case of Victoire Ingabire against the state of Rwanda, in paragraph

 173 (x), directed the respondent State (Rwanda) to take all the

 measures necessary to reinstate the applicant in her rights and to

 report to the Court within six (6) months about the measures taken to

 comply with this ruling.

In paragraph XIII of the same paragraph 173 of the judgment of 24

 November 2017, the court granted Mrs. Victoire Umuhoza, pursuant to rule

 63 of the rules of procedure of the Court, a period of thirty (30) days,

 from the date of the judgment, to file her application for the purpose

 of reparations and, to the respondent State, to reply to it within

 thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the applicant’s request.

 Mrs. Victoire Ingabire filed her submissions for reparation before the

 African Court, but the respondent State has not yet sent its own

 response. We dare to hope that Mrs. Victoire Ingabire will enjoy, among

 other things, all her civil and political rights without any

 restrictions.

The UDF-Inkingi also hope that there is a genuine process for opening

 the political space and that other actions will follow to allow the

 Rwandan people to recover all the democratic freedoms to which they

 aspire and have been struggling for, for a long time. The FDU-Inkingi

 hope above all that there is no hidden agenda to use this act for

 political ends.

We hereby draw attention, inter alia, to a contradiction in decisions

 taken by the judiciary. While the President of FDU-Inkingi is released

 on 14/09/18, on the same day members of her party who are in detention

 for a year on false accusations have been ordered to stay in detention

 and referred to another Court in Nyanza. Such decisions are not at all

 reassuring especially when dealing with a regime well versed in

 political subterfuges. We ask that there be real political coherence and

 that our comrades whose names follow are released unconditionally.

 Our members in prison include:

 1. Boniface Twagirimana (1st Vice-President of FDU-Inkingi)

 2. Sylvain Sibomana (First Secretary General of FDU Inkingi)

 3. Fabien Twagirayezu (Mobilization Manager)

 4. Gasengayire Leonille (Assistant Treasurer)

 5. Gratien Nsabiyaremye (Assistant Commissioner for Strategy and

 Political Affairs FDU-Inkingi)

 6. Theophile Ntirutwa (coordinator FDU-Inkingi in Kigali)

 7. Vénant Abayisenga (Coordinator FDU-Inkingi in the Western Province)

 8. Norbert Ufitamahoro

 9. Evode Mbarushimana

The UDF-Inkingi, at the same time, requests the unconditional release of

 all political prisoners, including Mrs. Diane Rwigara, Deo Mushayidi,

 Théoneste Niyitegeka and others.

Done in London on September 15, 2018</s>KIGALI: Rwanda has decided to free Victoire Ingabire, an opposition leader who was convicted for 15 years, the justice ministry said late on Friday.

Ingabire, who leads the unregistered FDU-Inkingi opposition party, will be freed immediately along with other prisoners, including singer Kizito Mihigo, who was jailed in 2015 for plotting to kill President Paul Kagame, the ministry said in a statement</s>Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was unexpectedly freed from jail on Saturday after President Paul Kagame granted her early release, alongside more than 2,000 other prisoners.

"I thank the president who gave me this liberation," Ingabire said as she left Mageragere Prison in the capital Kigali.

"This is the beginning of the opening of political space in Rwanda, I hope so," she said calling on Kagame "to release other political prisoners".

The surprise release of 2,140 prisoners, including Ingabire and musician Kizito Mihigo, followed a cabinet meeting on Friday at which a presidential order of "mercy" was approved.

"The Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame today approved the early release of 2,140 convicts found eligible under relevant provisions of law," a justice minister statement read.

"Among them are Mr Kizito Mihigo and Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, the remainder of whose sentences were commuted by Presidential prerogative following their most recent applications for clemency in June this year."

Ingabire returned from exile in The Netherlands intending to run for president in 2010 as leader of the FDU-Inkingi party.

However, she was arrested, charged with terrorism and treason and sentenced to 10 years in jail during a widely criticised trial.

Ingabire, an ethnic Hutu, was accused of "genocide ideology" and "divisionism" after publicly questioning the government narrative of the 1994 genocide of mostly Tutsi people that killed around 800,000 people.

On appeal, Rwanda's Supreme Court extended her sentence to 15 years.</s>Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire was unexpectedly freed from jail on Saturday after President Paul Kagame granted her early release, alongside more than 2,000 other prisoners.

"I thank the president who gave me this liberation," Ingabire said as she left Mageragere Prison in the capital Kigali.

"This is the beginning of the opening of political space in Rwanda, I hope so," she said calling on Kagame "to release other political prisoners".

The surprise release of 2,140 prisoners, including Ingabire and musician Kizito Mihigo, followed a cabinet meeting on Friday at which a presidential order of "mercy" was approved.

"The Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame today approved the early release of 2,140 convicts found eligible under relevant provisions of law," a justice minister statement read.

"Among them are Mr Kizito Mihigo and Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, the remainder of whose sentences were commuted by Presidential prerogative following their most recent applications for clemency in June this year."

Ingabire returned from exile in The Netherlands intending to run for president in 2010 as leader of the FDU-Inkingi party.

However, she was arrested, charged with terrorism and treason and sentenced to 10 years in jail during a widely criticised trial.

Ingabire, an ethnic Hutu, was accused of "genocide ideology" and "divisionism" after publicly questioning the government narrative of the 1994 genocide of mostly Tutsi people that killed around 800,000 people.

On appeal, Rwanda's Supreme Court extended her sentence to 15 years.

In November last year, the Arusha-based African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights ruled that Rwanda had violated Ingabire's rights to freedom of speech and adequate defence, prompting calls for a retrial.

However, Rwanda ignored the ruling.

Members of Ingabire's party -- which has not been permitted to register -- have frequently been arrested during her detention, and human rights groups have accused the military of torturing them.

Rwandan musician Kizito Mihigo was arrested in 2015 and jailed for 10 years for conspiring to assassinate Kagame.

Kagame, the country's de facto ruler since his rebel army stopped the genocide in 1994, recently changed the constitution clearing the way for him to rule until 2034.

Another opposition politician, Diane Rwigara, who sought to challenge for the presidency in 2017, was blocked by the electoral commission and subsequently arrested and charged with treason. Her trial is underway.

Others presidential challengers have been prevented from entering the country, while exiled dissidents have been threatened and sometimes murdered.

Kagame has been praised for bringing stability and economic growth to his tiny nation but often comes under fire for restricting political freedom.

He commonly wins re-election with over 90 percent of the vote.

Although Rwanda is constitutionally a multi-party system there is practically no opposition within the country with most of the recognised parties supporting the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF).

However, in parliamentary elections earlier this month the opposition Green Party won two seats, for the first time.</s>Rwanda has pardoned more than 2,000 prisoners, including a top opposition figure.Victoire Ingabire, of the FDU-Inkingi party, has been serving a 15-year jail term for threatening state security and “belittling” the 1994 genocide.

She has been a leading critic of President Paul Kagame and says her trial was politically motivated.

Mr Kagame has won praise for reforming Rwanda’s economy but has also been accused of human rights abuses.

He won re-election for a third time last year with 98.8% of the vote, in an election observers said was a sham.

In parliamentary elections earlier in September though, two opposition candidates from the Democratic Green Party won seats for the first time.

The release of Ms Ingabire and 2,140 other convicts was announced by the government following a cabinet meeting.

No reason was given for the move, but a statement said that Mr Kagame had exercised mercy under his prerogative as president.

Singer Kizito Mihigo was also freed, having been jailed for 10 years in 2015 for plotting to kill President Kagame.

Ms Ingabire smiled as she left jail, dressed in the colours of her party.

She thanked the president and said she hoped her release marked the opening of “political space” in Rwanda.

Justice Minister Johnston Businge sought to play down the significance of Ms Ingabire’s release.

“There is nothing political about her release – there is nothing political about her imprisonment,” he told Reuters.

Ms Ingabire returned from exile in the Netherlands in 2010 to take part in presidential elections.

She was arrested and barred from standing soon after, and has been in jail ever since.

Ms Ingabire, a member of the Hutu ethnic group, had questioned why Rwanda’s official memorial to the 1994 genocide did not include any Hutus.

Most of the 800,000 people killed were ethnic Tutsis but Hutu moderates were also slaughtered by the Hutu extremists.

Mr Kagame’s Tutsi-dominated Rwandan Patriotic Front put an end to the genocide. BBC.</s>Statement from the Ministry of Justice

Kigali, 14 September 2018 – The Cabinet meeting chaired by President Paul Kagame today approved the early release of 2,140 convicts found eligible under relevant provisions of law. Among them are Mr Kizito Mihigo and Ms Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, the remainder of whose sentences were commuted by Presidential prerogative following their most recent applications for clemency in June this year.

1. Distribution of convicts to be released early:

2. Articles 245 and 246 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Law No. 30/2013 of 24/5/2013) provide for the release on parole of a convict who has served at least one-third of a sentence of less than 5 years, or two-thirds of a sentence greater than 5 years (or at least 20 years in the case of a life sentence), provided at least one of the following conditions is met: (1) He or she sufficiently demonstrates good behaviour and gives serious pledges of social rehabilitation; (2) He or she suffers from serious and incurable disease approved by a medical committee composed of at least three recognised doctors.

3. Article 109 of the Constitution of Rwanda states: “The President of the Republic has the authority to exercise the prerogative of mercy in accordance with the procedures provided for by law and after consultation with the Supreme Court.”

4. Ms Ingabire was sentenced by 15 years in 2013 by the Supreme Court, while Mr Mihigo was sentenced 10 years in 2015 by the High Court.</s>Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Rwandan President Paul Kagame pardoned 2,140 convicts, including an opposition party leader and a political activist, the country's Justice Ministry said.

The prisoners were released before serving their full sentences, the ministry announced Friday.

Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, a former presidential candidate, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2013 after a conviction for conspiring against the government. Musician Kizito Mihigo was jailed in 2015 for 10 years after writing a song that criticized the government.

"Cabinet today approved the early release of 2,140 eligible convicts. Among them are Kizito Mihigo and Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, who received a Presidential commutation of the remainder of their sentences, following their most recent requests for clemency in June 2018," the ministry posted on Twitter.

Rwandan law allowed the early release of prisoners for good behavior or if the convicts are suffering from incurable diseases.

Human rights activists had criticized Kagame for stifling dissent, Bloomberg reported.

Kagame, the current head of the African Union, is lobbying to lead the International Organization of Francophonie, which works to promote cooperation between French-speaking nations and states on issues that include human rights and democracy.

Kagame, who won re-election for a third time last year with 98.8 percent of the vote, has been praised for reforming Rwanda's economy.

As Ingabire left jail, she was dressed in the colors of her party, Democratic Green. Two opposition candidates from the party won parliamentary seats for the first time this month.

Ingabire, who returned from exile in the Netherlands in 2010 to take part in presidential elections, says her trial was politically motivated.
Victoire Ingabire, Kizito Mihigo, and 2,138 other prisoners are released in an unexpected move by the Rwandan government.