The former Prime Minister of Burundi, Alain Guillaume Bunyoni, appeared on Friday before the cassation chamber of the Supreme Court, in an exceptional hearing held at the central prison of Gitega in the political capital. Currently sentenced to life imprisonment, Bunyoni requested the cassation of his judgment in order to reopen his judicial case. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

Security was reinforced around the central prison of Gitega, according to witnesses. Several police officers and agents of the SNR (National Intelligence Service) had been deployed there.

Precarious health and criticized prison conditions

During this hearing, Bunyoni, supported by his lawyer Placide Gatoto, pleaded for provisional release due to his alarming state of health. Suffering from high blood sugar type 2, he expressed his concerns about the potential complications of this chronic disease, despite prescribed medical treatments.

In addition to his medical concerns, the former Burundian Prime Minister denounced conditions of detention that he described as inhumane. He spoke of prolonged isolation of more than two years, with only 30 minutes of leaving his cell, twice a week.

Reactions of the Public Prosecutor’s Office

The Public Prosecutor’s Office responded by stating that the right to health is respected in prisons and that Bunyoni regularly receives the necessary medical care. However, this statement contrasts with Bunyoni’s allegations regarding his conditions of detention.

Expected decisions

The President of the Supreme Court, Gamaliel Nkurunziza, announced that the decision on provisional release will be rendered within 48 hours. As for the verdict on the cassation appeal, it will be pronounced within 60 days.

A case followed closely

This legal case arouses keen interest in Burundi, where the former strongman of the regime is trying to assert his rights in the face of a harsh sentence and conditions of detention deemed unacceptable.

The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the outcome of this battle.