Burundi: journalist Jérémie Misago found and presented to the press

Around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22, the Burundian police showed journalist Jérémie Misago to the local press. The latter had not given a sign of life since last Saturday, before appearing in a video on Monday. Our colleague affirms that he had gone to pray, following personal problems that were beyond him. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

It was in the premises of the national intelligence service (SNR) in the commercial city of Bujumbura that our colleague was handed over to his employer. The spokesperson for the ministry in charge of security, who had taken care to invite the chairperson of the national independent human rights commission, CNIDH, praised “the professional work of the police”.

In clothes he had been wearing since last Saturday, Jérémie Misago told an audience of journalists that he had gone to pray to “implore God following personal problems”.

This surprised more than one because he switched off his phone while he had to go to his home in Kayogoro district (Makamba province, south) to introduce his fiancée to his family.

According to him, “the police found me in Magara, where I had retired for prayer”. It is in the province of Rumonge in the southwest of the country. He affirms that “I suffered no ill-treatment”.

Reporter Misago said he was terribly overwhelmed that he switched off his phone without informing anyone. He made a sign of life on Monday in a video taken by telephone.

Pierre Nkurikiye, spokesman for the security ministry who handed over the journalist to the director of publications of the Iwacu press group, thanked this media for “having alerted authorized officials in time”.

According to an observer, there is still something unsaid in this case.

“Why do we have to go through this stage? If he had gone to say a prayer and is coming back home, should we first hold him and show him to the press before returning? There are things left unsaid in this case”, he said.

Another observer finds that “this journalist has just vindicated President Neva, who always tells the international community that anyone abducted in his country ends up being found if authorized services are informed and if he invests himself so that perpetrators of the crimes be tried”.

A journalist, friend of Jérémie Misago, said that “I believe him. Several signs showed that he was going through hard times but we did not pay attention to them”.

According to several colleagues, “the important thing is that our colleague is found safe and sound”.