Ruyigi : a local journalist arrested and detained

Pantaléon Ntakarutimana, correspondent for Jimbere magazine in particular, was arrested last Saturday and sent to the cell of the district police station in Bweru where he lives. It is in the province of Ruyigi (eastern Burundi). The district administrator of Bweru, Diane Nibitanga, criticizes our colleague for “giving biased information”.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

At the time of the incident, Pantaléon Ntakarutimana was with his wife and other residents in a market located not far from a health center in the locality of Mubavu, according to witnesses.

According to the latter, a vehicle left the body of a person at this health facility “who died in an accident”, according to persons who brought it. Relatives of this person refused to bury the body without identifying it, which created tensions. The district administrator of Bweru was forced to travel. Diane Nibitanga found our colleague at the scene and ordered police officers present to search Pantaléon Ntakarutimana. Afterwards, they took him to the Bweru district police station cell.

Diane Nibitanga told SOS Médias Burundi that “relatives of the deceased person did not agree, which meant that the body was not buried before the administration took up the matter.”

Pantaléon Ntakarutimana reported the incident. The Bweru administrator speaks of “lack of professionalism” and criticizes our colleague for “giving biased, unverified information”. She says that Pantaléon Ntakarutimana “publishes unbalanced information without seeking the administration’s version” often.

“We released him this evening and we agreed with his employer to see us on Tuesday to talk about the case,” she told SOS Médias Burundi on Monday evening.

Roland Rugero, head of Jimbere magazine, confirmed to SOS Médias Burundi that he is going to Bweru on Tuesday. But until Monday evening, he had not yet had the confirmation of the release of journalist Pantaléon Ntakarutimana either from his relatives or the local police.

Arrests of correspondents in the provinces have increased recently in Burundi. Representatives of local organizations defending journalists’ rights say they fear an increase in threats against journalists as the 2025 legislative elections approach.

In a press release, Jimbere magazine thanked the CNC, National Communication Council, for its involvement in obtaining the release of its correspondent.

Recently, the new boss of the Burundian regulatory body promised to “fight for respect for the rights of journalists”. Espérance Ndayizeye, however, clarified that “justice must do its work independently” for cases submitted to it.

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Jimbere magazine correspondent for the eastern region of Burundi, DR