Journalist Sandra Aline Muhoza has been provisionally released after nearly two years in prison, following a decision by the Court of Appeal in Ngozi, northern Burundi.
According to a legal document signed by the Prosecutor General of Ngozi on February 27 and made public on Wednesday, Muhoza was granted release under bail conditions.
The conditions of her release include remaining within her native province, appearing before a judge once a month and whenever summoned, refraining from obstructing ongoing investigations, and demonstrating good conduct in society.
Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal of Ngozi sentenced the journalist, who worked with the online outlet La Nova Burundi, to four years in prison and imposed a fine of 200,000 Burundian francs. She was convicted on charges including spreading rumors and inciting ethnic hatred.
Muhoza was arrested in April 2024 over allegations linked to a message she reportedly shared in a private WhatsApp group of journalists. The message allegedly claimed that machetes were being distributed to youth members of the ruling CNDD-FDD party.
In December 2024, the High Court of Mukaza in Bujumbura sentenced her to 21 months in prison on charges of “undermining the integrity of the national territory” and “racial aversion.”
In May 2025, a Court of Appeal ruled that her trial in Bujumbura had been conducted by a court lacking jurisdiction, effectively nullifying the conviction. Authorities subsequently transferred Muhoza to Ngozi, stating that the alleged offense had been committed there. Her trial before the High Court of Ngozi concluded at the end of September 2025.
Press freedom groups, including more than 127 African women journalists, strongly denounced the trial, describing it as a devastating attempt to criminalize journalism. They warned that the case deepens injustice and sends a chilling message to the media.
Her Release Brings Relief to Press Freedom Groups
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has welcomed Muhoza’s provisional release, describing the development as a moment of great joy. However, Muthoki Mumo, Africa Programme Coordinator for the organization, emphasized that the release does not erase the injustice Muhoza endured.
“It is indeed a very happy day that she has walked out of prison after nearly two years of detention,” Mumo told Breaking Burundi. “But while we are pleased that Sandra Muhoza is out of prison, her provisional release does not undo the injustice that she has endured since April 2024.”
CPJ further called for Muhoza’s conviction to be overturned and for her to be allowed to resume her work without further harassment.
“We also believe that Sandra Muhoza will not be truly free until she is exonerated through Burundi’s legal system,” Mumo said. “Her conviction should be overturned, given that there is an ongoing appeal, and she should be allowed to return to her work, to her life, and to her family without further harassment.”
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