Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye has granted a presidential pardon to journalist Floriane Irangabiye, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly “undermining the integrity of the national territory.” The decision, announced late Thursday, has been met with international relief and praise from human rights organizations.
Irangabiye was arrested in August 2022 while visiting her family in Burundi and was sentenced in January 2023, sparking global concerns about press freedoms in the East African nation. The presidential pardon, dated August 14, grants her a total remission of her sentence.
Human rights group ACAT Burundi welcomed the decision but urged the president to continue this path by releasing others who have been unjustly imprisoned. The organization emphasized the need for justice and human rights to be upheld for all.
READ ALSO: Peter Obi Slams Leadership Over Seizure of Presidential Jets in France
Irangabiye’s case drew widespread international condemnation, with the United Nations and Amnesty International expressing concern over her imprisonment for simply doing her job as a journalist. Before her arrest, she had lived in neighboring Rwanda for a decade.
Since taking office in 2020, President Ndayishimiye has been commended for gradually ending Burundi’s isolationist policies. However, the country continues to struggle with its human rights record and remains one of the world’s poorest nations. Burundi is currently ranked 108th out of 180 countries for press freedom by Reporters Without Borders.
