Why is the prison director remaining silent?
The competent authorities are urgently called upon to take immediate action to ensure the protection of detainees held at Ruyigi Prison, located in Buhumuza Province.
Relatives of detainees continue to raise alarm over the situation inside the prison. They allege that the inmates’ leader, commonly known as the “General”, SEBUSHAHU Augustin, continues to subject detainees to ill-treatment. According to the testimonies received, following the publication of our previous reports exposing these abuses, he has reduced the physical assaults. However, he now suspects detainees of leaking information and has intensified threats against them, including statements that raise fears of extrajudicial killings. It is in this context that calls for the protection of detainees continue.
In addition, several detainees are reportedly being forced to spend the night outside their cells on the orders of this individual.
First testimony received from a relative of the detainees
“We thank you for exposing the situation of detainees at Ruyigi Prison. However, we urge you to continue speaking out. Today, Augustin threatens to kill any detainee found with a telephone number from outside the country. We do not understand why the Director of Ruyigi Prison still refuses to remove him from his responsibilities.
Since your previous report was published, SEBUSHAHU has reduced the physical beatings of detainees. However, he now forces some of them to spend the night outside in the prison yard, pouring water over them. Imagine a man over 50 years old being forced to sleep in the cold alongside detainees suffering from asthma.
If a detainee were to die under these conditions, could the Director of Ruyigi Prison claim that he knew nothing about it? Today, SEBUSHAHU says: “Those Tutsi who leak information—whoever is identified will be buried.” The detainees therefore urgently request that he be removed before a tragedy occurs, as they are living in constant fear.”
Second testimony received
“Hello. Despite your previous reports about the situation of detainees, very little has changed. SEBUSHAHU became more cautious and no longer openly beats prisoners, but he still forces some of them to sleep outside and continues to threaten them. He says that any detainee identified as having shared information with the outside world will be executed and buried. We ask you to continue advocating for the detainees in this prison because they are enduring unbearable suffering.”
Overall, the relatives of the detainees express deep concern over the silence of the Director of Ruyigi Prison, EMERUSABE Eric, regarding what they consider to be a very serious situation.
They urgently call on the higher authorities to take immediate measures to guarantee the safety of detainees, including removing SEBUSHAHU Augustin from his position, arguing that his continued role poses a serious threat to the lives and physical integrity of those under his authority.
The individuals behind this appeal also recall that the “General”, SEBUSHAHU Augustin, was reportedly previously convicted of murdering his former wife as well as a person with albinism, as reported in an earlier publication. They believe that these past allegations further reinforce the concerns about the safety of detainees under his authority.