The UIA Protests Against Disbarment of Mr. Isidore Rufyikiri, Bujumbura Bar President

The UIA strongly protests against the decision by the Bujumbura Court of Appeal’s pronouncing the immediate and binding disbarment, notwithstanding any appeal of the Bujumbura Bar President, Mr. Isidore Rufyikiri, both with regard to the reasons allegedly justifying the legal proceedings and the manner in which the legal proceedings were conducted.

The legal proceedings were initiated by the Public Prosecutor in the Bujumbura Court of Appeals on the charge of using words “contrary to the rules, State security and public peace”, in violation of Article 11 of the law on the status of the legal profession. The charges are based, on the one hand, on the terms used in a letter written to the Governor of Bubanza within the framework of the defence of one of Mr. Rufykiri’s clients; and on the other hand, on words used at a press conference in his capacity as Bar President, during which Mr. Rufyikiri criticised the constitutional reforms envisaged by the office of the President of the Republic, in particular, those aimed at reforming the composition of the magistracy in the Republic of Burundi, in particular.

On receiving a request for disbarment submitted by the Prosecutor General, the Bar Council did not act upon it.

The Public Prosecutor then referred the case to the Court of Appeals on December 17, 2013 and the latter set January 20, 2014 as the date for a single hearing. The hearing on January 20 was held in the presence of a large number of Burundian lawyers who had come to support their Bar President, and several foreign observers.

During the hearing, the Defense mainly raised the issue of the lack of access to the case files and was met with firm opposition from the bench with regard to its request on this issue. This flat refusal led the Defense to leave the court room, so that, in fact, no substantive debate was held, as the Chamber immediately took the matter under advisement after reading the indictment.

The UIA requests all international lawyers’ organisations to join it in taking up this matter in order to safeguard the rule of law in Burundi.

For further details, please see the Press Release provided below.