Our members in danger ~ Tournons la Page

Our members in danger

The work of activists is not without danger, and many suffer serious violations of their rights. The members of Tournons La Page, through the subjects they deal with, are particularly targeted by these attacks. The purpose of this page is to draw attention to these human rights defenders who are persecuted in their respective countries for their work of citizen control.

Burundi

Floriane IRANGABIYE

In prison since August 30, 2022

In prison since
9 months

Floriane Irangabiye is a journalist and human rights defender who worked for the online radio station Igicaniro. In mid-August, Irangabiye left Rwanda, where she had been living since 2009, to visit her family in Burundi. On August 30, 2022, intelligence personnel stopped a vehicle in which Floriane Irangabiye was travelling and detained her.

Floriane Irangabiye was first detained at the headquarters of the national intelligence service in Bujumbura, where she was denied access to her family and a lawyer. She was questioned about her work at the online radio station "Igicaniro," a station accused of supporting opposition groups. National intelligence officials also accused Irangabiye of collaborating with armed opposition groups and spying. On September 8, Irangabiye appeared before the High Court in Mukaza where she was charged with undermining the integrity of the national territory. On the night of October 3, 2022, she was transferred to Muyinga Central Prison from Mpimba Central Prison in Bujumbura, more than 200 km from her family.

On January 2, 2023, the High Court of Mukaza sentenced journalist and human rights defender Floriane Irangabiye to 10 years in prison with a fine of 1,000,000 Burundian francs. During her imprisonment, she is still being harassed by fellow inmates in collaboration with the prison authorities and the National Intelligence Service (SNR).

Gabon

Jean-Rémy YAMA

In prison since February 27, 2022

In prison since
1 year

Jean-Rémy Yama - president of Dynamique Unitaire, Gabon's largest trade union coalition, and member of Tournons La Page - has been arbitrarily detained since March 2 for alleged breach of trust. However, no Gabonese court has pronounced a judgment against Jean-Rémy Yama: he is therefore presumed innocent.

Indeed, the next presidential election will be held in one year. The outgoing president, Ali Bongo - in power since October 2009 - has announced that he will run for a third term in 2023. Since 2016, Tournons La Page and its Gabonese partners have mobilized to promote democratic change in Gabon. It is therefore for his union commitment that Jean-Rémy Yama is targeted. The proof: he is the beneficiary of a provisional liberty acted on June 10, 2022. However, the Prosecutor of the Republic, André Patrick Roponat, ignored this decision and Jean-Rémy Yama is still in prison.

Tournons La Page, through the emergency fund of the Protection Program, supports the lawyers and family of Jean-Rémy Yama. But his health is deteriorating rapidly and he requires urgent hospital care.

Update: Saturday, August 26, 2022, the wife of Jean-Rémy Yama, died in Dakar, Senegal. This is a very hard blow for the trade unionist whose health is continuously deteriorating.

1. Send a message to Gabonese policy makers, including President Ali Bongo: https://bit.ly/3MLChPz and/or the Attorney General: http://www.justice.gouv.ga/contact

2. Support Tournons La Page, which is paying Jean-Rémy Yama's legal fees: https://bit.ly/3mIG0To

Togo

Prince FADEL

In prison since November 25, 2019

In prison since
4 years

Born on May 12, 1994, Prince Fadel is a committed artist. He is a member of the movement of committed artists of Togo, itself a member of TLP-Togo. He was arrested and remanded in custody in the case "Tiger Revolution" since November 25, 2019.

Engaged since the advent of the movement in 2017, his songs were played in the demonstrations where he went to the villages and towns of the country.

After releasing a new song titled Faure must go "Too much is too much", he was arrested and taken to his home for a general investigation where nothing was found.

After almost three years in detention, he still does not have the right to receive family. He is placed in isolation and has no access to the court.

It should be remembered that there are a total of 113 political prisoners languishing in Togo's penitentiaries, 5 of whom have already died. The Front Citoyen Togo Debout (FCTD) and Tournons La Page as well as the family members of the detainees urge the government to release them immediately and unconditionally.

1. Send a message to Togolese policy makers, including President Faure Gnassingbé (Présidence de la République Togolaise).

Burundi

Nestor NABITANGA

Arrêté·e le 11 November 2017
Libéré·e le 27 April 2021

Burundi

Germain RUKUKI

Arrêté·e le 13 July 2017
Libéré·e le 30 June 2021

Burundi

Tony Germain NKINA

Arrêté·e le 13 October 2020
Toujours en prison

Member of APRODEH, Tony Germain NKINA was arrested on October 13, 2020 in the commune of Kabarore, Kayanza province. Sentenced to 5 years in prison by the High Court of Kayanza on June 15, 2021, his conviction was confirmed by the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Ngoziau in August. He has since been imprisoned in the central prison of Ngozi.

Congo

Alexandre IBACKA DZABANA

Arrêté·e le 11 March 2021
Libéré·e le 15 July 2021

Congo

Christ DONGUI

Arrêté·e le 25 March 2021
Libéré·e le 15 July 2021

Christ DONGUI, deputy coordinator of the citizen movement Ras-Le-Bol, was abducted on March 25, 2021 in the "15 years old plateau district" in Brazzaville by persons in civilian clothes and then taken to the Central Intelligence and Documentation Office (Centrale d'intelligence et de documentation), formerly the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, where he remained for 11 days before being transferred to the Brazzaville House of Arrest and Correction (MAC).

On April 9, 2021, he was brought before the Tribunal de Grande Instance (TGI) of Brazzaville, charged with "undermining the internal security of the State" and then placed under a detention order at the MAC of Brazzaville. He was finally released on July 15, 2021.