After being sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly “undermining the integrity of the national territory”, journalist Floriane Irangabiye has been freed by Burundi on Friday, as reported by AFP journalists.
Irangabiye, aged 36, was detained in August 2022 while visiting her family in the East African nation and received her sentence in January 2023, sparking international criticism.
Upon her release, Irangabiye expressed her joy at reuniting with her family, stating, “I am very happy because I have just reunited with my family.”
President Evariste Ndayishimiye issued a decree on social media granting a “presidential pardon measure in favour of Mrs Floriane Irangabiye” on Thursday.
The decree mentioned that she has received “a total remission of sentences”.
ACAT Burundi, a human rights organization, celebrated the decision, denouncing Irangabiye’s imprisonment as “illegal and unjustified”.
They further called on Ndayishimiye “to continue on this path by releasing all other people unjustly imprisoned” in a post on social media.
Reporters Without Borders, a global media rights watchdog, expressed relief at Irangabiye’s release, emphasizing that she “should never have been arrested or spent so much time behind bars”.
They reiterated their appeal to Burundian authorities to safeguard press freedom in the country and ensure that journalists can work without fear of reprisals.
While the United Nations voiced concern last year over Irangabiye’s imprisonment “simply for doing her job”, her trial in January revolved around her activities at Radio Igicaniro and her involvement in a show critical of the Burundian leadership.
Amnesty International revealed that she had lived in Rwanda for a decade before her arrest and expressed worry about her deteriorating health during detention.
With Burundi ranking 108th out of 180 countries for press freedom according to RSF, earlier this year saw the detention and subsequent charges against Sandra Muhoza, a reporter with La Nova Burundi, for “endangering internal security”.
Ndayishimiye, who came to power in 2020, has been commended for efforts to end Burundi’s isolationism under the previous leader Pierre Nkurunziza but has not made significant improvements in human rights, leaving the impoverished nation of 12 million people in the African Great Lakes region.
AFP