174:, condemned the arrest and stated: "Serious allegations of torture and witness tampering emerged during the flawed trial in 2016. The court of appeals had an opportunity to investigate these allegations and hold those responsible to account, but instead they doubled down on the decision to stamp out criticism of government policy and action.”
177:
On
November 4, 2019, six British legislators sent a letter to President Paul Kagame which conveyed concern over the ongoing detention of Rusagara and Byabagamba. They stated: "We commend Rwanda’s progress over the last three decades, particularly the strides it has made in creating a more inclusive
112:
On
January 5, 2016, he was tried jointly in the Kanombe Military High Court with his brother-in-law Colonel Tom Byabagamba, the former head of the Presidential Guard unit, as well as his driver, retired Sergeant François Kabayiza. On March 31, 2016, the court found Rusagara guilty of all charges
140:
on behalf of
Rusagara, Byabagamba, and Kabayiza. In December 2017, the Working Group determined that their detention was arbitrary and violated international. In February 2018, the Rwandan government denied the allegations and claimed it was not aware of the UN Working Group’s communications.
65:. He was arrested and charged with inciting insurrection and tarnishing the government’s image. Initially sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, he is now serving 15 years after the Court of Appeal in Kigali reduced his sentence while upholding his conviction in 2019.
116:
In
December 2019, the Court of Appeal in Kigali upheld his conviction while reducing his sentence to 15 years. He will be released in 2029. During the appeal, he told the court that he was subject to solitary and confinement and close surveillance by cameras.
178:
society that has drawn in marginalized populations. However, we are troubled that Rwanda has imposed disproportionate sentences on individuals who are suffering from serious health issues in poor prison conditions,”. In response, Rwanda justice minister
341:"Opinions adopted by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at its sixty-fifth session (20-24 November 2017) Opinion No. 85/2017 concerning Franck Kanyambo Rusagara, Tom Byabagamba and François Kabayiza (Rwanda)"
160:
522:"Freedom Now – Individual Submission To The Office Of The High Commissioner For Human Rights, Universal Periodic Review ("UPR"): Rwanda, 37th Session Human Rights Council – UPR Working Group"
149:
182:
stated "It would be inappropriate for the
Executive to comment on any pending case, seek to influence the outcome or intervene as proposed in your letter,”.
272:
361:
438:
239:
137:
582:
521:
156:
82:
152:
which stated that "judges have failed to adequately address allegations of torture during interrogation” in the trial of
Rusagara.
306:
387:
78:
155:
On
December 4, 2018, Kate Barth, then Legal Director at Freedom Now, highlighted the case while testifying before the
164:
206:
98:
93:
Frank
Rusagara was arrested on August 18, 2014. It was claimed by the prosecution that Rusagara had criticized
550:
121:
191:
85:. In 2013, he returned to Rwanda and was forced into retirement, along with 78 other military officers.
145:
120:
Rusagara’s arrest was part of a series of arrests against former members of Rwanda’s ruling party, the
413:
74:
62:
439:"Written Remarks for Tom Lantos Commission Briefing: Rwanda Human Rights and Political Prisoners"
171:
201:
179:
58:
196:
106:
388:"Rwanda's response to the Opinion 85/2017 of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention"
362:"Freedom Now Files Petition to UN on behalf of Three Former Rwandan Military Officers"
576:
102:
211:
133:
94:
493:
467:
414:"Rwanda: Submission To The African Commission On Human And Peoples' Rights"
340:
339:
United
Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (January 4, 2018).
163:. This report was delivered on March 19, 2020 in advance of Rwanda’s
159:. As well, Freedom Now submitted a report detailing the case to the
16:
Retired
Brigadier General of the Rwandan Defense Forces (born 1955)
157:
U.S. House of Representatives’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
161:
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
101:(an exiled opposition group), and had called the country a “
240:"Rwanda rejects British legislators' call to free officers"
516:
514:
494:"Rwanda: Human Rights and Political Prisoners (Part Two)"
468:"Rwanda: Human Rights and Political Prisoners (Part One)"
113:
against him and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment.
273:"Byabagamba and Rusagara sentences reduced to 15 years"
307:"Rwanda: Ex-Military Officers Convicted Over Comments"
44:
36:
28:
21:
48:Retired Brigadier General and Military Historian
150:African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights
73:Rusagara held multiple senior positions in the
132:In July 2017, human rights focused non-profit
83:Rwandan High Commission in the United Kingdom
8:
334:
332:
330:
328:
124:, who have been critical of the government.
266:
264:
262:
260:
97:, had made complimentary remarks about the
412:Amnesty International (November 1, 2017).
301:
299:
297:
295:
293:
18:
492:TomLantosHumanRights (December 4, 2018).
466:TomLantosHumanRights (December 4, 2018).
77:. These include secretary general of the
551:"Rwanda: Free Speech Convictions Upheld"
233:
231:
229:
227:
170:Lewis Mudge, Central Africa Director of
223:
138:UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
271:Rwamapera, Kelly (December 28, 2019).
238:Ssuuna, Ignatius (November 7, 2019).
7:
14:
437:Barth, Kate (December 4, 2018).
1:
167:conducted by the UN in 2021.
136:submitted a petition to the
81:and military attaché in the
599:
583:Rwandan military personnel
148:submitted a report to the
207:Rwanda National Congress
99:Rwanda National Congress
89:2014 Arrest and Sentence
165:Universal Period Review
122:Rwandan Patriotic Front
192:Human rights in Rwanda
128:International Response
146:Amnesty International
95:President Paul Kagame
75:Rwanda Defense Force
63:Rwanda Defense Force
57:(1955) is a retired
393:. February 19, 2018
557:. January 13, 2020
555:Human Rights Watch
311:Human Rights Watch
172:Human Rights Watch
144:In November 2017,
202:Rwandan Civil War
180:Johnston Busingye
59:Brigadier General
52:
51:
590:
567:
566:
564:
562:
547:
541:
540:
538:
536:
531:. March 19, 2020
526:
518:
509:
508:
506:
504:
489:
483:
482:
480:
478:
463:
457:
456:
454:
452:
443:
434:
428:
427:
425:
423:
418:
409:
403:
402:
400:
398:
392:
384:
378:
377:
375:
373:
358:
352:
351:
349:
347:
336:
323:
322:
320:
318:
303:
288:
287:
285:
283:
277:The East African
268:
255:
254:
252:
250:
235:
197:Rwandan genocide
79:Defence Ministry
19:
598:
597:
593:
592:
591:
589:
588:
587:
573:
572:
571:
570:
560:
558:
549:
548:
544:
534:
532:
524:
520:
519:
512:
502:
500:
491:
490:
486:
476:
474:
465:
464:
460:
450:
448:
441:
436:
435:
431:
421:
419:
416:
411:
410:
406:
396:
394:
390:
386:
385:
381:
371:
369:
368:. July 17, 2017
360:
359:
355:
345:
343:
338:
337:
326:
316:
314:
313:. April 1, 2016
305:
304:
291:
281:
279:
270:
269:
258:
248:
246:
237:
236:
225:
220:
188:
130:
107:banana republic
91:
71:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
596:
594:
586:
585:
575:
574:
569:
568:
542:
510:
484:
458:
429:
404:
379:
353:
324:
289:
256:
222:
221:
219:
216:
215:
214:
209:
204:
199:
194:
187:
184:
129:
126:
90:
87:
70:
67:
55:Frank Rusagara
50:
49:
46:
42:
41:
38:
34:
33:
30:
26:
25:
23:Frank Rusagara
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
595:
584:
581:
580:
578:
556:
552:
546:
543:
530:
523:
517:
515:
511:
499:
495:
488:
485:
473:
469:
462:
459:
447:
440:
433:
430:
415:
408:
405:
389:
383:
380:
367:
363:
357:
354:
342:
335:
333:
331:
329:
325:
312:
308:
302:
300:
298:
296:
294:
290:
278:
274:
267:
265:
263:
261:
257:
245:
241:
234:
232:
230:
228:
224:
217:
213:
210:
208:
205:
203:
200:
198:
195:
193:
190:
189:
185:
183:
181:
175:
173:
168:
166:
162:
158:
153:
151:
147:
142:
139:
135:
127:
125:
123:
118:
114:
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
88:
86:
84:
80:
76:
68:
66:
64:
60:
56:
47:
45:Occupation(s)
43:
39:
35:
31:
27:
20:
559:. Retrieved
554:
545:
533:. Retrieved
528:
501:. Retrieved
497:
487:
475:. Retrieved
471:
461:
449:. Retrieved
445:
432:
420:. Retrieved
407:
395:. Retrieved
382:
370:. Retrieved
365:
356:
344:. Retrieved
315:. Retrieved
310:
280:. Retrieved
276:
247:. Retrieved
243:
176:
169:
154:
143:
131:
119:
115:
111:
103:police state
92:
72:
54:
53:
529:Freedom Now
446:Freedom Now
366:Freedom Now
212:Paul Kagame
134:Freedom Now
37:Nationality
218:References
69:Background
105:” and a “
577:Category
561:July 20,
535:July 20,
503:July 20,
477:July 20,
451:July 20,
422:July 20,
397:July 20,
372:July 20,
346:July 20,
317:July 20,
282:July 20,
249:July 20,
186:See also
498:Youtube
472:Youtube
61:of the
40:Rwandan
525:(PDF)
442:(PDF)
417:(PDF)
391:(PDF)
563:2021
537:2021
505:2021
479:2021
453:2021
424:2021
399:2021
374:2021
348:2021
319:2021
284:2021
251:2021
32:1955
29:Born
109:.”
579::
553:.
527:.
513:^
496:.
470:.
444:.
364:.
327:^
309:.
292:^
275:.
259:^
244:AP
242:.
226:^
565:.
539:.
507:.
481:.
455:.
426:.
401:.
376:.
350:.
321:.
286:.
253:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.