Regional
FLN terror suspects plead for reintegration as opposed to jail
![image](webadmin/images/FLN.jpg-20220206095956000000.jpg)
Suspects
in the FLN terror trial have once requested the appeal court to send them to a
demobilization and reintegration center instead of sending them to jail.
The
suspects include Iyamuremye Emmanuel, Nshimiyimana Emmanuel, Niyirora Marcel,
Nsanzubukire Félicien and Munyaneza Anastase.
They
are among 21 Rwandans (including Hotel Rwanda Film ‘Hero’ Paul Rusesabagina)
whom the High Court sentenced last September to separate jail terms but
reappeared in docks after prosecution recently submitted an appeal over their
final verdicts.
The
suspects, who have been waiting for their chance to defend themselves, said
that court should consider their reintegration into society based on the fact
that they pleaded guilty to their crimes during the earlier trials.
The
group of suspects also said that based on the disarmament and repatriation
agreement (of 1999 and 2007 done in Lusaka and Nairobi in Zambia and Kenya
respectively) between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)-
where they were arrested for being part of an armed group (FLN), court should
use articles which provide for all arrested armed persons to be demobilized and
reintegrated into society.
On
this note, the group of suspects said that many of the disarmed persons in DRC
were sent for rehabilitation in Rwanda (at Mutobo).
“Based
on the constitution article 15, which makes us equal before the law, I too
deserve to be given a chance to go for rehabilitation at Mutoobo,” one
suspect Emmanuel Iyamuremye said.
He
argued that about 400 of his colleagues are currently undergoing a
demobilization and reintegration process in Mutoobo, yet some of them were his
commanders who gave him direct orders in the FLN movement.
Other
suspects asked court to consider the dates of their arrest which they alleged
happened after the Rwanda- DRC treaty but prosecution insisted that the crimes
committed have more weight in the trial.
Even
with these arguments, the laws of the land hold an upper hand over the
disarmament and demobilization treaty between Rwanda and DRC.
The Prosecution asked the Appeals court not to consider the arguments of the suspects but earlier trial testimonies in which the FLN group pleaded guilty to participating in terror crimes on Rwandan soil. The FLN case continues next week with more suspects expected to present their arguments hoping to turn around their jail sentences ranging from 5 to 25 years.
Source: www.ktpress.rw