Deutsche Welle  correspondent released from Burundian Police custody

Deutsche Welle (DW), correspondent Antéditeste Niragira has been finally released from Burundian police custody on Tuesday, May 23, 2017.
 
Niragira was released from a prison in the DR Congo on Monday and brought to the Congolese-Burundian border, where he was handed over to Burundian authorities.

A statement, issued and signed by the Head of Corporate Communications and Spokesperson (DW) Christoph Jumpelt expresses appreciation to all organizations and authorities involved in his safe return.

The statement which was copied to the GBCONLINE said DW’s, press spokesman for the Burundian national police, Pierre Nkurikiye, in a telephone interview confirmed that Antéditeste Niragira is safe and in “good hands”.

The statement however, said Antéditeste Niragira spend another night in an arrest cell in Burundi, before he was invited to give a statement to the Burundian national media council (CNC) earlier Tuesday. 

“Following his statement he was finally set free and was reunited with his family. The fact that he had to spend a night with the Burundian intelligence service, was „standard procedure “according to police spokesman Nkurikiye.” The statement said.

According to the statement, immediately after his release, the head of DW’s French language department, Mrs. Dirke Koepp, was able to speak to Niragira.
 
“He was still shaken from his ordeal: „I am very grateful to DW and everyone else working on my release. I have no words to express how grateful I am. I am very happy and relieved.“ Niragira said that he had not been mistreated by security staff during his captivity in the prison in Uvira in the DR Congo, nor in Bujumbura. „But the prison in Uvira was quite unpleasant“, he added. 

“There was no light and after he was moved to another prison, he had to share a small cell with five other inmates. The prison authorities gave him nothing to eat. Niragira was supplied with food by another DW-correspondent.” That’s according to the statement.
  
Antéditeste Niragira was arrested whilst reporting on the conditions in a refugee camp near the town of Kavimvira in the DR Congo on Wednesday, 17 May 2017. 

“Before he could start his research in the refugee camp, he was arrested by the Congolese intelligence service (ANR) for alleged spying and taken to a prison in Uvira. Niragira was actually in the process of getting a press accreditation from the authorities, when he was arrested.”

This disproves the allegation made by the Congolese intelligence service, that Niragira was arrested inside the refugee camp. 

"I had not started working yet, as the ANR is claiming." Niragira he debunked.

International organizations for the protection of journalists followed the case since the arrest and have voiced their relief about the outcome.


GBCONLINE