Burundi : Kenny Claude Nduwimana challenges the president in an open letter regarding his prolonged detention

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, July 5, 2025 – In an open letter sent to President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Burundian journalist Kenny Claude Nduwimana denounces his arbitrary detention that has lasted for twenty months, even though he was only sentenced to eight months in prison. Supported by court documents, he calls on the head of state to intervene to put an end to what he describes as a serious denial of justice.

In his letter, Nduwimana mentions other cases revealing the abuses of the judicial system, including that of Lazare Safari, a disabled elderly man accused of rape despite his fragile physical condition, as well as that of Rachelle, a woman over 80 years old imprisoned for witchcraft, an offense that does not exist under the Burundian law. “The place of the elderly is certainly not in prison,” he writes.

Imprisonment with irregular contours

A journalist for more than ten years, Nduwimana recounts being arrested after investigating a land grab involving local officials. Before his arrest, he claims to have been threatened several times by an intelligence official.

Initially accused of undermining the honor of institutions, then of fraud, and finally of undermining internal security, he was sentenced to eight months in prison. However, he remains in detention. He is currently held in Bujumbura’s central prison, known as Mpimba.

An excerpt from the judgment of the First Instance Court of Mukaza, in the commercial capital of Bujumbura, dated August 26, 2024, confirms this sentence. Furthermore, a certificate of non-appeal issued by the Bujumbura Municipality Court of Appeal on December 12, 2024, states that the case is closed, in accordance with the law.

Judicial decisions ignored

Despite these documents, his release was never enforced. “I have requested my release several times, in vain. Today, I have served 20 months in detention, while my actual sentence is eight months. This constitutes a grave injustice,” he denounces.

During the third hearing, a police officer intervened to assert, without evidence or witnesses, that the journalist had insulted him. This statement led to a conviction that, however, does not justify the extended detention.

A direct appeal to the Head of State

In his letter, Nduwimana directly appeals to the Burundian President. He urges him to intervene to put an end to the abuse of authority and corruption that plague the justice system. “Your Excellency, if this happens to a journalist, what about the ordinary citizen?” he asks.

He emphasizes the need for a profound reform of the judicial system, stressing that the lack of fairness drives many Burundians, particularly traders, to leave the country and settle elsewhere.

A warning sign for the rule of law

The Nduwimana case highlights a justice system where court decisions are not enforced and fundamental rights are ignored. “Our profession is humanitarian. We journalists are not criminals, but the voices of the voiceless. Prison must not be the price of truth,” he writes.

A copy of his letter was sent to several national and international institutions, including the European Union, the African Union, the UN Commission on Human Rights, and the Apostolic Nuncio to Burundi.

This case risks rekindling criticism of the independence of the Burundian judiciary, already regularly denounced by human rights organizations.