Where has he been taken? Is he safe?
A Burundian citizen is reported missing after being violently arrested by agents of the intelligence services, according to multiple eyewitnesses.
The individual concerned is Edouard NZAMBIMANA, 41 years old, originally from Kirundo Commune and Province. He resides in Masama 3 Quarter, Kanyosha Zone, in the city of Bujumbura, where he lives with his wife and their six children.
Professionally, Edouard NZAMBIMANA works in downtown Bujumbura, specifically at the Galerie IRIHO, located on the road leading to Cathédrale Regina Mundi, near the STAR TIME offices.
Politically, he is a member of the CNL party, led by Honorable Agathon Rwasa, and serves as the communal party leader in Mukaza Commune.
🔶 Circumstances of the Arrest
On April 7, 2025, between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., a white double-cabin intelligence vehicle with tinted windows, license plate E 0462 A, arrived at his workplace.
Inside were agents in police uniform, who intercepted Edouard NZAMBIMANA, violently beat him, and forcibly forced him into the vehicle, which then drove toward the headquarters of the intelligence services, located nearby.
To date, no official information has been provided regarding the reasons for his arrest, his place of detention, or his state of health.
🔶 Serious Concerns
The excessive violence used during his arrest, combined with the authorities’ silence, raises serious concerns about his safety, physical and psychological integrity, and creates fear that he may be subjected to mistreatment or enforced disappearance.
🔶 Urgent Call
Family, citizens, and human rights defenders call upon:
● The competent authorities to immediately disclose the location of Edouard NZAMBIMANA’s detention;
● To ensure his protection against any form of torture or inhumane treatment;
● And the National Independent Human Rights Commission (CNIDH) to urgently take up this case and provide independent monitoring.