Burundi: Urgent Call to Free Journalist Facing Life in Prison

The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA), have expressed deep concern about the campaign of intimidation against media by the government of Burundi and have called for charges against a leading journalist to be dropped.

They are protesting that Burundian authorities have charged Jean Claude Kavumbagu, editor of Netpress news agency with “treason”, an offence that attracts life imprisonment if found guilty.

On 17 July 2010, police arrested Kavumbagu, at his office, following publication of an article on his news website which warned that Burundian security forces lacked capacity to effectively deal with terror threats that could be waged against the country by Somali extremists group, Al-Shabaab.

“This one incident, which violates the rights of journalists by Burundian authorities, illustrates just how press freedom is in danger in the country,” warned the three journalists’ groups.

“The authorities have bypassed normal and legal procedures for arresting a journalist which requires that cases involving breach of journalistic ethics must go through the media regulatory council,” they said.

They also claim that the treason charge against Mr. Kavumbagu is “absurdly disproportionate” and is unjustified because he was exercising his constitutional right to express an honest opinion. “The government may not agree with him, but he is entitled to his point of view,” they said.

Jean Claude Kavumbagu they said expressed his opinion on an issue of public importance and legitimate concern. “His action cannot in any way justify his arrest, detention and the extravagant charge against him,” FAJ, IFJ and EAJA said.

In the article that Kavumbagu published on 12 July, he criticized Burundi security forces for only knowing how to “rob and kill” Burundian people. The article said Al-Shabaab would find it easy to access and carry out attacks in Burundi following the bombings in Kampala, Uganda, for which the Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility.

Burundian authorities are using article 570 of the criminal code, which is only applicable in wartime, to prosecute the journalist. The decision to detain the journalist was irregular because the law says that someone can be kept in detention only if they are creating public disorder. The Bujumbura public prosecutor said on July 30 one reason he wanted the journalist to be detained because he feared the article would stir up fears among the Burundian population. This was the first time in 14 days in prison that Kavumbagu was brought to court.

 
“The illegal detention of Jean Claude Kavumbagu is a major infringement of the fundamental human rights of journalists and all the citizens of Burundi,” said the three groups.

Journalists in Burundi question the independence of the judiciary and believe that this is a deliberate case of intimidation in the name of the fight against terrorism.

In support of their affiliate in Burundi, Union Burundaise des Journalistes (UBJ) the IFJ, FAJ and EAJA are calling on the Burundian Government to drop all charges and immediately release Jean Claude Kavumbagu from the detention. They say the country’s leaders must also end the practice of unlawful imprisonment, act to respect the constitutional rights of journalists and instruct the security services to work in an accountable manner.

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- August 09, 2010 by IFJ

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Source: africa.ifj.org/en/articles/urgent-call-to-free-journalist-facing-life-in-prison-in-burundi (accessed on 09.08.2010)