On 14 April 2026, the Ngozi Court of Appeal handed down its verdict in the case of the journalist Sandra Muhoza, bringing to an end legal proceedings that had begun in 2024. She was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for “racial hatred”, a sentence she had already served, resulting in her immediate release. The charge of undermining national territorial integrity was dropped and restrictions on leaving the country were lifted.
Arrested in April 2024 for disseminating information implicating members of the CNDD-FDD, in particular the Imbonerakure, Sandra Muhoza had been the subject of several legal proceedings and successive convictions, illustrating a case marked by numerous legal twists and turns. It further demonstrates the difficulties faced by journalists facing prosecution in Burundi.