Rwandan opposition leader defiant as prison term possible




Diane Rwigara
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The Rwandan opposition leader who awaits judgment on charges of inciting insurrection and forgery after challenging the longtime president in last year’s election says no amount of pressure will silence her.

Speaking to The Associated Press ahead of her court appearance on Thursday, Diane Rwigara remained defiant as she faces 22 years in prison if convicted.

The 37-year-old, a fierce critic of the ruling party, is Rwanda’s highest-profile opposition figure and the rare person to openly criticise the government from inside the country. Her case has drawn global attention as President Paul Kagame again faces pressure to give more space to critics in the highly controlled East African nation.

No matter what, she said, she will continue to raise issues of alleged human rights violations in the country.