Concern for Irish human rights group member detained in Africa

Concern is rising about a member of staff from an Irish human rights group, who has been detained in Burundi.

Dublin-based Front Line Defenders say one of their Africa co-ordinators has been stopped - along with a colleague - at the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

URGENT: Front Line Defenders @FrontLineHRD Africa Protection Coordinator, Aloys Habimana @alhabimana detained by #Burundi authorities at the border with DRC - now in detention: https://t.co/jZmmFluig8 pic.twitter.com/N1wzTrX2Ou

— Front Line Defenders (@FrontLineHRD) February 17, 2018

The Department of Foreign Affairs says it is aware of the incident but has no further information at this stage.

Front Line Defenders' Erin Kilbride is urgently urging the authorities in Burundi to release them both.

"One of our protection co-ordinators who handles Eastern and Southern Africa, he has worked with Front Line Defenders for a number of years now, he was detained earlier today at about noon," said Ms Kilbride.

"We understand that he is currently being held at a detention centre which is run by the national intelligence services.

"We have been unable to obtain much more information about exactly what his treatment is, what kind of conditions he is being kept in since then."

Digital Desk