EXTERNAL (for general distribution)AI Index: AFR 47/13/91

Distr: UA/SC

UA 382/91 Legal/"Disappearance" concerns 8 November 1991

RWANDA Bosco Gakwere

Karengera

Gashirabake

Rusanganwa

and four others(names unknown)

Eight people are reported to have been arrested by security forces on the orders of local government officials in Nyamata, Kanzenze district, Bugesera Sous-préfecture (administrative sub-region) in Kigali préfecture (administrative region) on 21 and 22 October 1991. Those arrested have not been seen or traced by their relatives and have in effect "disappeared". Relatives have expressed fears that they may have been extrajudicially executed by members of the security forces. They were all reportedly either members of the minority Tutsi ethnic group, suspected supporters of an opposition political party or the armed opposition Front patriotique rwandais (FPR), Rwandese Patriotic Front.

Amnesty International is concerned that the Rwandese authorities have not made public the place of detention of these eight prisoners and that this exposes them to a risk of being tortured or extrajudicially executed. In the mid-1970s and again following the FPR invasion in October 1990 Amnesty International received reports that dozens of political detainees were either killed or subjected to ill-treatment which resulted in their deaths while being held incommunicado.

Amnesty International has received reports that in October 1991 at least eight other civilians were arrested in Nyamata by the security forces and are said to be held at Kanzenze district prison. The arrests were also reportedly ordered by local government officials.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

At least 8,000 people, most of them members of the minority Tutsi ethnic group, were arrested following a violent attack on Rwanda by Uganda-based Rwandese exiles, who are members of a rebel group known as the Front patriotique rwandais. Many of those arrested were reportedly subjected to various forms of ill-treatment, including beatings, and some were tortured by soldiers, gendarmes or other security officials. Some prisoners were executed extrajudicially, especially in northern Rwanda. Most of the 8,000 detainees were released by the end of April 1991. About 30 civilians, 15 captured combatants and about several dozen soldiers remain in detention. Eighteen of the 25 civilians who were tried at the beginning of the year are serving prison sentences; several soldiers were sentenced in mid-1991 to various prison terms and a number of others are reportedly awaiting trial.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Telegrams/telexes/faxes/express and airmail letters:

- expressing concern at the reported arrest and possible "disappearance" since 22 October 1991 of Bosco Gakwere, Karengera, Gashirabake, Rusanganwa and four others and asking the authorities for information of their whereabouts and asking for identification of the four whose names are not known;

- inquiring whether Bosco Gakwere, Karengera, Gashirabake, Rusanganwa and the four others arrested are still being held and, if so, whether they have been charged with any specific offence;

page 2 of UA 382/91

- expressing concern at reports that they have not been allowed visits by their relatives nor have they had access to legal counsel;

- expressing concern that under such conditions of incommunicado detention a number of prisoners in Rwanda are reported in the recent past to have been subjected to torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment by members of the security forces;

- requesting assurances that Bosco Gakwere, Karengera, Gashirabake, Rusanganwa and the four other prisoners have not been ill-treated and will be allowed immediate access to their relatives, independent legal counsel and medical attention if necessary;

- urging the authorities to ensure that Bosco Gakwere, Karengera, Gashirabake, Rusanganwa and the four others arrested are released without delay if they are not to be charged with a recognizably criminal offence and brought promptly to a fair trial.

APPEALS TO:

1) Son Excellence Monsieur le Président Juvénal HABYARIMANA President

Président de la République

BP 15

Kigali, République Rwandaise

Telegrams: President Habyarimana, Kigali, Rwanda

Telexes: 22517

Faxes: + 250 74583

2) Monsieur Sylvestre

NZANZIMANA Monsieur le

Premier Ministre Premier Ministre Présidence de la République

BP 15

Kigali, République rwandaise

Telexes:22517

Faxes:+ 250 74583

3) Ministre de la Justice Monsieur le

Ministère de la Justice Ministre

BP 160

Kigali, République rwandaise

Telegrams: Ministre Justice, Kigali, Rwanda

Telexes: 22502

4) Le Colonel Bem Augustin Monsieur le

NDINDILIYIMAN Ministre Ministre à la Présidence pour

la Défense et la Sécurité

BP 15

Kigali, République rwandaise

Telegrams: Ministre Defense et Securite, Kigali, RwandaCOPIES TO AT LEAST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING:

Monsieur le Docteur Casimir BIZIMUNGU

Ministre des Affaires étrangères

et de la coopération

Ministère des Affaires étrangères

BP 179

Kigali, République Rwandaise

Faxes: +250 72902 or +250 72904

Monsieur Donat HAKIZIMANA

Secrétaire général

Service central de renseignements (SCR)

BP 125

Kigali, République rwandaise(National security service)- Monsieur le Rédacteur-en-Chef, Imvaho, BP 83, Kigali, République rwandaise

- Monsieur le Rédacteur-en-Chef, Kinyamateka, BP 761, Kigali, République rwandaise

- Monsieur le Rédacteur-en-Chef, La Relève, Office rwandaise d'information, BP 83, Kigali, République rwandaise

- Monsieur le Rédacteur-en-Chef, Le Consommateur Africain, BP 1852, Kigali, République rwandaise

- Monsieur le Rédacteur-en-Chef, Isibo, Bureau central, BP 2258, Kigali, République rwandaise

- Monsieur le Rédacteur-en-Chef, Le Tribun du Peuple, BP 2314, Kigali, République rwandaise

and to diplomatic representatives of Rwanda in your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 20 December 1991.