NAIROBI — The international community has intensified pressure on the governments of Kenya and Rwanda following the mysterious disappearance of Yusuf Gasana, a prominent Rwandan human rights defender.
Gasana was allegedly abducted from his residence in Nairobi on May 20, 2023, by unidentified individuals, sparking widespread concern and calls for urgent action.
Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, issued a statement on Thursday, accusing state agents of orchestrating Gasana’s abduction and enforced disappearance.
“I have written to both the Kenyan and Rwandan Governments for urgent information on his fate, whereabouts, and well-being,” Lawlor declared, emphasizing the imperative for immediate investigation and disclosure of Gasana’s situation.
Gasana, known for his advocacy against the involuntary repatriation of Rwandan refugees, was active within a community-based refugee organization in Nairobi.
His outspoken stance on the safety of returning refugees to Rwanda reportedly made him a target of suspicion.
Despite persistent inquiries from Gasana’s family and interventions by international bodies such as the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, concrete information regarding his status has not been forthcoming.
Lawlor revealed that informal sources indicated Gasana might be held in a clandestine detention facility in Rwanda alongside other individuals, yet to face charges.
Lawlor underscored that both Kenya and Rwanda are obligated under international human rights law, particularly the Declaration on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance, to conduct thorough investigations, locate Gasana, and hold those responsible accountable for these grave violations.
The disappearance of Gasana has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups globally, who have called for swift and transparent actions from the concerned governments to address this troubling case.
As international pressure mounts, the fate of Yusuf Gasana remains uncertain, casting a shadow over human rights advocacy in the region.
Email us at: info@alleastafrica.com
