Human rights defender Mr Faustin Ndikumana was arrested on 7 February 2012 after he made public declarations on the issue of corruption in the judiciary

Faustin Ndikumana is the President of Parole et Action pour le Réveil des Consciences et l'Evolution des Mentalités (PARCEM), an association which fights against corruption. He remains in detention to date.

On 7 February 2012, agents of the Anti-Corruption Brigade arrived at the studio of Radio Publique Africaine (RPA) to arrest Faustin Ndikumana who was taking part in the radio programme Kabizi on RPA. Faustin Ndikumana went voluntarily to the office of the prosecutor at the anti-corruption court, where he was interrogated over several hours. In the evening, he was transferred to the central prison of Mpimba in Bujumbura, where he is currently being held.

His arrest took place after the human rights defender announced that he had written a letter to the Minister for Justice, Mr Pascal Barandagiye. In the letter, Faustin Ndikumana wrote that some judges had told PARCEM that they had been asked to pay between 1,000 and 1,500 USD in order to secure a post at the Ministry of Justice. Some media reports claim that the Minister had brought a complaint against Faustin Ndikumana.

No charges have been brought against him, however according to the information received, Faustin Ndikumana stands accused of “false declarations” under section 4 of Law n°1/12 of 18 April 2006 on the Prevention and Repression of Corruption and related Offences. Section 4 provides for a sentence of five to ten years in prison.

Front Line Defenders expresses concern regarding the arrest of Faustin Ndikumana and considers it to be motivated by his work against corruption in the judicial system and its impact on access to equitable justice for all citizens.