Key facts
- Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire stated she was physically and mentally unfit for her trial.
- The trial on charges of plotting unrest against the government was postponed for one day.
Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire told the high court she was physically and mentally unprepared for her trial on charges of plotting unrest, leading to a one-day postponement. Ingabire, a critic of President Paul Kagame, denies the charges, calling them politically motivated.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about political freedom and human rights in Rwanda, with critics accusing President Paul Kagame's government of suppressing opposition voices.
Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire told the high court in Kigali on Monday that she was physically and mentally unprepared for her trial on charges of plotting unrest against the government. The court agreed to postpone the proceedings for one day.
Ingabire, a long-time critic of President Paul Kagame, has called the charges baseless and politically motivated, aimed at silencing her pro-democracy movement. Prosecutors accuse her of plotting unrest and potentially facing many years in prison if convicted. She also cited her inability to speak with family outside Rwanda and her co-accused.
Prosecutors stated Ingabire had been in unlawful contact with nine other suspects, including members of her DALFA-Umurinzi group, which is not recognized by the government. Ingabire previously led the FDU-Inkingi coalition, which also was not permitted to register.
Having spent 16 years in exile in the Netherlands, Ingabire returned to Rwanda in 2010 to start her political career. She was previously found guilty of conspiracy to undermine the government and denying Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, charges she denied. She was sentenced to 15 years but was freed in 2018 after receiving a presidential pardon.
Kagame's government has been credited with bringing peace and stability but also faces criticism from human rights groups for alleged abuses and suppression of political opposition.