DRC : threatened after her release, Burundian journalist Gérardine Ingabire lives in hiding

SOS Médias Burundi

Bukavu, April 30, 2025 – Threatened after her release and deprived of freedom of movement, Burundian refugee journalist Gérardine Ingabire is living in hiding with her two children in the Mulongwe camp, in eastern DRC. Wrongly suspected of collaborating with armed groups, she is launching a desperate appeal for help, while the security and humanitarian situation in the camp remains critical.

Burundian journalist Gérardine Ingabire, a refugee in the Mulongwe camp, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is in danger. Since her release by the Congolese police on April 18, after two days of detention, she has been constantly threatened by unidentified individuals who visit her home. To protect her life, she chose to go into hiding. She now lives in hiding with her two children, aged four and one year and six months.

“I fear for my safety. I am harassed and I no longer dare to go home,” she told SOS Médias Burundi in a telephone interview. Her voice betrays fear and exhaustion.

Persistent threats in a climate of terror

Gérardine Ingabire has reportedly been accused of collaborating with armed groups operating in the region, an allegation she denies. For several weeks, Burundian refugees in camps in South Kivu have been victims of kidnapping, torture, or murder on similar charges.

As a reminder, the journalist was arrested on April 16 by Congolese police in Mulongwe, then released two days later. The circumstances of her arrest are detailed in our previous article :
Photo of the Week : a Burundian journalist arrested in Mulongwe, suspected of links to the RED-Tabara group (April 21, 2025)

Since then, she has been living under threat. The police have forbidden her from leaving the camp, citing a “provisional release” that requires her to remain available for any summons. This restriction prevents her from traveling to Malindi, where she works for Amani radio.

Deprived of security and livelihood

Like other refugees in the Mulongwe camp, Gérardine Ingabire has not received food for five months. The camp’s residents survive by farming or doing odd jobs in neighboring villages. But for her, this option is no longer an option. “I no longer have access to any resources.” “I live in fear and total isolation with my children. If nothing is done to help me, tomorrow may be too late,” she warns.

The journalist makes an urgent appeal to human rights organizations : “I am a refugee, a journalist, and a mother. I simply ask to live in safety.”