MURAMVYA, July 30 (ABP) – The public prosecutor in Muramvya, Gitega Province (Central-East), Jean Paul Bizindavyi, recently led a session inside Muramvya prison focused on moral education and the dissemination of information regarding the criminal procedure code. The session also aimed to receive grievances from individuals in conflict with the law, an onsite check by ABP has revealed.
According to Prosecutor Jean Paul Bizindavyi, the purpose of this visit to Muramvya prison was part of his ongoing effort to inform all sectors of the Muramvya population, so they can take ownership of the law, particularly the contents of the criminal procedure code.
Bizindavyi emphasized the articles related to conditional release and non-reducible sentences. Article 129 of the criminal procedure code, which the prosecutor elaborated on, states that individuals sentenced to one or more custodial penalties may be conditionally released once they have served a quarter of their sentence, provided their incarceration has lasted more than three months. Paragraph 2 of this article states that individuals sentenced to life imprisonment may be conditionally released once they have served more than ten years.
The prosecutor of the Republic also addressed non-reducible sentences. He explained that Article 138 stipulates that in cases of conviction for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, voluntary homicide, sexual assault, torture, and armed robbery, the convicted individual must serve the full sentence without being eligible for conditional release or related provisions, as he read in full.
The detainees at Muramvya prison were urged to adopt good behavior in order to motivate the prosecutor’s office to consider release when needed, based on the applicable law.
The Prosecutor’s visit also included the presence and participation of deputy prosecutors and the director of Muramvya prison.
It is worth noting that some detainees took this opportunity to be heard behind closed doors by Prosecutor Jean Paul Bizindavyi and his close collaborators in order to respond to their grievances.