Burundi parliamentary candidate Cathy Kezimana, who was arrested whilst campaigning earlier in May, has been released from prison.
Her party, the National Freedom Council (CNL), won 22% of the last week’s vote, according to preliminary results released by the elections commission which also determines the allocation of parliamentary seats.
Her detention effectively ruled her out of the contest in Bujumbura after her name was struck from the electoral list for violating the electoral code.
She was held at Mpimba Central Prison during the election and was not brought before a court.
The mother of five has denied any wrongdoing, telling the BBC: “I was accused of insulting [the ruling party] and taken to central prison the same evening. But I did nothing wrong; video records of my campaigns are there. They just wanted to remove me from candidates and they made it.”
She says there were many other CNL members in detention with her.
“Women and many men are still there. Many are just peasants with no lawyers, no food, nothing.
“That’s why even if I am released, my heart is still there with these people without advocates.”
Under her conditional release, Ms Kezimana is forbidden from engaging in politics and must appear at a local court every Monday.
The government has said voting was conducted peacefully, but the Council of Catholic Bishops has said their observers witnessed irregularities that cast doubt on the reliability of the results.
The CNL party says 10 of its members were killed and more than 300 arrested during the election period.
The police say the party’s candidates incited violence against supporters of the ruling party CNDD-FDD and insulted their competitors, which the CNL denies.
Source:BBC
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