IRAKOZE Christ Kelly, whose disappearance was reported on January 27, 2026, has been found alive after spending three days in an unofficial place of detention.
As previously reported, Mr. IRAKOZE Christ Kelly, a resident of Kinanira neighborhood, was abducted on January 26, 2026, while returning home. He was intercepted on Ntwarante Avenue in the Kinindo area by individuals who took him to an unknown destination.
Information Collected Regarding His Detention
According to information gathered by our organization, Mr. IRAKOZE Christ Kelly was allegedly detained at the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service.
During his detention, he was reportedly accused of involvement in political activities and of supporting information that his interrogators described as “fake news,” allegedly disseminated by civil society organizations and by individuals portrayed as enemies of the nation or collaborators of foreign interests. He was also reportedly questioned because of his father’s alleged connections with those same individuals.
Our sources indicate that during his detention, Mr. IRAKOZE Christ Kelly was allegedly subjected to intimidation, physical violence, death threats, and other forms of ill-treatment that may constitute violations of his physical and psychological integrity.
Concerning Health Condition
After three days in detention, Mr. IRAKOZE Christ Kelly was finally released on the evening of January 29, 2026, at approximately 8:00 p.m., according to information obtained by our organization.
However, he is currently receiving medical treatment at a healthcare facility in Bujumbura due to injuries and trauma he allegedly suffered during his detention. For security and privacy reasons, we will not disclose the name of the facility.
Reaction of Our Organization
Our organization welcomes the release of Mr. IRAKOZE Christ Kelly and his safe return to his family. We are relieved by this positive outcome and express our solidarity with his relatives, who endured days of anxiety and uncertainty regarding his fate.
Nevertheless, we remain deeply concerned by the allegations of torture, ill-treatment, and arbitrary detention that he reportedly suffered. We call on the competent authorities to open an independent, impartial, and effective investigation in order to establish responsibility and ensure that such acts are not repeated.
The Organization strongly condemns any practice involving the abduction, arbitrary detention, or mistreatment of citizens outside the safeguards provided by law. We call on the relevant authorities to shed full light on the reported facts, guarantee the protection of the victim, and take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such violations.