Three senior advisors to Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, recently dismissed from their positions, are now in custody, according to local media reports. The advisors, Jean Baptiste Baribonekeza, Head of the Legal Affairs and Governance Office and former chairman of the National Independent Human Rights Commission (CNIDH); Cyrille Sibomana, Head of the Legal Oversight and Legislation Department; and Arcade Harerimana, Technical Advisor on State Litigation Monitoring, face allegations of treason.
The controversy stems from their role in facilitating the release of prisoners convicted of serious crimes, including rape and murder, who were explicitly excluded from a presidential pardon. President Ndayishimiye accused the officials of tarnishing the presidency’s reputation by suggesting the releases were authorized at the highest level.
The presidential pardon, announced late last year, aimed to release 5,442 inmates but resulted in only 4,011 being freed. However, reports reveal that 28 individuals ineligible for clemency were unlawfully released.
The local rights group ALUCHOTO highlighted these irregularities during a press briefing last week, noting that some eligible prisoners—255 in total—remain behind bars. The group also documented specific instances of improper releases in different provinces, including seven prisoners in Rumonge, eleven in Bururi, three in Gitega, and seven in Bubanza.
Calling the situation a breach of trust, ALUCHOTO urged the government to return ineligible individuals to custody and release those wrongly detained. The organization also called on President Ndayishimiye to establish an independent investigative body to hold accountable those who facilitated the irregularities.
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