June 22-28, 2015

1. Head of intelligency service arrested in UK over Spanish indictment; Kagame strongly condemned his arrest; thousands of Rwandans protesting across the country

Private but pro-government newspapers

New Times, 28th June 2015, “Africa rallies behind Rwanda in Gen. Karake case” by Kennedy Ndahiro

• The Peace and Security Council of the African Union’s (AU) strongly condemned the recent arrest in London of Rwanda’s head of National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, popularly known as ‘KK’, and called for his “immediate and unconditional release”.
• ,,The arrest appears to be politically motivated and underscores the fact that arrest warrants issued by non-African judges and other non-African national legal systems is a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of African states, an attempt to subordinate African legal systems to those of non-African states,” reads part of the statement.
• The AU’s Council dismissed the 2008 Spanish indictment, under which the UK authorities barred Gen. Karenzi from returning home after an official visit, as “politically motivated”.
• Karenzi is one of the 40 former and current Rwandan officials targeted in the indictment over alleged war crimes and terrorism acts.
• The African Union’s peace and security organ also expressed “concern at the continued support by certain quarters of the international community of groups which promote the genocide ideology.”
• A 2009 UN report said pro-FDLR militia lobbies had sponsored Spanish Judge Andreu Merelles’ indictment, strengthening Rwanda and observers’ longstanding views that extremists behind the 1994 Genocide and their backers were behind efforts to criminalise the Rwanda Patriotic Front.
• Rwanda’s Foreign affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo described the arrest as “a political manipulation of international justice and bullying by some non-African states.”
• The US government has branded the indictment as ““outrageous and inaccurate.”
• A British court released Gen. Karake on bail and he will reappear in court in late September.

New Times, 26th June 2015. “Gen. Karake's arrest is based on absolute arrogance and contempt, says Kagame” by Edwin Musoni

• President Paul Kagame has come out strongly against the UK’s recent arrest of Gen. Karenzi Karake, saying absolute arrogance and contempt was the only basis for the arrest.
• Kagame referred to Gen. Karake as “a freedom fighter who fought with us to make this country what it has become on this long journey towards who we want to become.”
• “They must have mistaken him for an illegal immigrant. The way they treat illegal immigrants is the way they treat all of us,” the President said.
• President Kagame castigated the manner in which western jurisdictions treat Africa, wondering how “a village judge wakes up one day and decides to indict African leaders and western authorities also play along and enforce the indictments.”
• “First, it was France, then Spain, now the UK. I don’t know who is next. It is all directed to inconvenience, to destabilise and show the absolute contempt they have for Rwanda and for Africans,” said Kagame.
• “It is a continuation of slavery, of colonialism, of violence and bigotry. It is wagging a finger at the African and telling him this is where you belong. We are no longer the African that belongs there,” he said defiantly.
• “People say we are friends and support your development. Do you support my development and take away my dignity? Do you support my development but at the same time hold me in contempt?” Kagame asked.

New Times, 25th June 2015, “Nationwide outcry as protests against the arrest of Gen. Karake continue” by Eugene Kwibuka

• Tens of thousands of Rwandans across the country took to the streets in peaceful protests against the arrest of Karake.
• In Kigali, thousands of protestors gathered in front of both entrances of the UK High Commission in Kacyiru demanding Karake’s unconditional release.
• While praising Karake’s role in stopping the 1994 Genocide they denounced what they described as disrespect toward Rwanda and vowed to keep protesting until Karake is released.