Jambo ASBL, an association of young Rwandans in exile in Belgium, strongly condemns the arrest of Victoire Ingabire during the night of June 19 to 20, 2025, and calls on Rwandan citizens as well as all political and financial partners of the Rwandan regime to closely monitor the developments of this case with utmost vigilance.
According to a statement by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), Victoire Ingabire is accused of forming a “criminal association” with the alleged aim of “inciting insurrection or disturbing public order” — a vague and blatantly political charge, clearly intended to silence one of the most prominent voices of peaceful opposition in Rwanda.
This arrest is part of a long-standing campaign of harassment and political persecution against Victoire Ingabire, which has lasted for over 15 years. It began upon her return to Rwanda on January 16, 2010, when she came back with the firm intention of contributing to the country’s democratic reconstruction.
Arrested a few months later, she was sentenced to 15 years in prison following a trial marred by serious irregularities — as confirmed by the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in 2017. The Court ruled that her fundamental rights had been violated and ordered the Rwandan state to compensate her.
In September 2018, on the eve of a Francophonie Summit where a Rwandan candidate was expected to be elected Secretary General, Victoire Ingabire was released under conditions as part of a presidential pardon. Despite her release, she remained under constant surveillance. Just days later, President Paul Kagame gave a fiery speech in Parliament threatening to imprison her again. Since then, several of her close associates have been jailed, disappeared, or assassinated.
October 2025 was expected to mark the official end of her 15-year sentence — and with it, the lifting of all conditions tied to her early release. This new arrest, coming just four months before that milestone, appears to be a calculated move to prevent her from fully and freely exercising her civil and political rights.
For more than a decade, Victoire Ingabire has embodied the hope for a reconciled, pluralistic Rwanda that respects human rights. Her arrest underscores the entrenchment of an authoritarian regime that fears free expression above all else.
Jambo ASBL calls on all Rwandans and the international community to remain alert and engaged, to closely follow this case, and to ensure that the fundamental rights of Victoire Ingabire are upheld.
Ruhumuza Mbonyumutwa
Secretary General of Jambo asbl