Following her arrest on 19 June 2025, Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza has been held in conditions which do not meet international standards. She was subjected to lengthy interrogations which ran into the early hours of the morning. She has not been allowed to communicate with her family in the Netherlands or her international legal team, and no one other than her lawyer in Rwanda has been permitted to meet with her since her arrest. Victoire was only able to go outside and breathe fresh air on July 8, 2025, when she appeared in court for a pre-detention hearing.
Critically, Rwanda Bar Association (RBA) has also refused to appoint a qualified Kenyan lawyer to represent Victoire, on the grounds of reciprocity. The RBA decision is not consistent with Rwandan laws, which state that defendants have the right to counsel of their choice and that lawyers from the East African Community are excluded from the reciprocity requirement.
Although Victoire’s Rwandan lawyer has been permitted to meet with her, this contact has been limited to 30 minutes, which was insufficient time for any meaningful preparation. He has been required to seek additional time, as well as access to the relevant legal file, through bringing in-court challenges. While two hours’ additional time has now been granted, Victoire’s right to adequate time and resources to prepare is still not being complied with.
Fondation Victoire Pour la paix accordingly denounces the deliberate placement of Victoire Ingabire in a position that aims to impair her mental, emotional, and physical health, and violates her right to adequate time and preparation to defend herself.
Fondation Victoire pour la Paix urges Rwandan authorities to comply with both national and international obligations in their treatment of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza’s case. It also calls on the international community to speak out against ongoing persecution of Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza —a figure widely recognised for her courage and commitment to free expression in Rwanda.
Brussels, July 14, 2025