The governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America have exerted pressure on Rwanda president Paul Kagame to release senior Rwanda military officers who were jailed for politically motivated ‘crimes’.
Although there are several political dissidents and military officers rotting in various jails and Safe Houses in Rwanda, the army officers that have since become a thorn in the eye for Kagame are Brig. Gen. Tom Byabagamba and Col. Frank Rusagara, who are former Rwanda Patriotic Defence Forces, senior officers.
The duo was arrested in 2014 subjected to a Kangaroo military court where they were charged and summarily convicted for among other charges ‘Spreading Rumours and Tarnishing the image of government and their country.’
They were later both handed lengthy jail sentences, denied access to lawyers, family members, medication and jailed in filthy dungeons. All their efforts to appeal the sentence, seek decent medical attention or have access to their lawyers have been frustrated by Rwandan officials.
It was after failing the efforts to help Brig. Gen. Byabagamba and Col. Rusagara that their lawyers and family members petitioned the UK and US government to intervene in the matter by exerting pressure on Kagame and the Rwandan government to release the army officers.
Indeed the UK Parliament, through Rt. Hon. Baroness D’Souza CMG, wrote to Kagame through the Rwandan Embassy in the UK, informing him about the unjust incarceration of Brig-Gen. Byabagamba and Col. Rusagara and that they should be freed.