 |
|
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs |
BURUNDI: Opposition leader in prison despite court's release order
NAIROBI, 5 March 2003 (IRIN) - A leading Burundi opposition politician, Charles Mukasi, is still in prison six days after a Bujumbura court ordered him to be freed, because defence lawyers have been unable to find the deputy public prosecutor to sign the release warrant, according to Net Press, a privately owned agency.
"We must tell you that Mr Mukasi is still in prison despite the court statement favourable to him and according to which President Mukasi must be released," Claude Sibomana, the Net Press editor-in-chief, told IRIN on Wednesday.
The agency had reported earlier this week that Mukasi's lawyers had also sought the Bujumbura city prosecutor who also refused to sign the warrant until it was endorsed by the deputy public prosecutor.
Mukasi, who is president of the Union pour le progres national (Uprona), has been in Mpimba Prison since 21 January. He was arrested after calling for the restoration of the rule of law in Burundi.
The agency recalled that President Pierre Buyoya had ordered provincial governors and military commanders to "use political, administrative, judicial and police" powers to restrain people and organisations demanding restoration of the rule of law.
Themes: (IRIN) Human Rights
[ENDS]
The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All graphics and Images on this site may not be re-produced without the express permission of the original owner. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
