Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza, an opposition leader in Rwanda, was re-arrested in June 2025. Ingabire, who returned from exile in 2010 to participate in the country’s presidential elections and spent many years in prison, had continued her opposition activities through peaceful means following her release. Authorities stated that she was taken into custody on charges of “inciting public disorder and conspiring against the government.” Her lawyers, however, argue that this process is part of a systematic campaign to silence dissent in the country.
Human rights advocates consider Ingabire’s arrest as a clear indication of the severe restrictions on freedom of expression and association in Rwanda. As previously noted in rulings by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Ingabire’s right to a fair trial had been violated during earlier proceedings. Experts argue that the arrest of a peaceful political activist solely for criticizing the government and calling for ethnic-based justice demonstrates the erosion of democratic values in the country.
As Rights Defenders, we call on the Rwandan government to immediately release Victoire Ingabire and allow the political opposition to operate freely. This case raises further questions about the independence of the justice system in Rwanda and highlights the country’s violations of its international human rights obligations. Ingabire’s arrest continues to be closely monitored as a violation of the rights to freedom of expression and political participation under international human rights law.
Sources:
https://www.ft.com/content/99d6e591-7942-462f-9958-bfb0d77b667a
