RegionWeek’s Journalist assaulted by a "United Nations agent" in Bujumbura
Special Edition, June 11, 2021
Dear Readers,
This Friday morning around 10 AM, Mr. Fabrice Iranzi, RegionWeek’s Founder and Journalist was arrested and brought to a police station. It all started with an incident that occurred near the Ministry of interior and the RegionWeek Office in Bujumbura. A group of people was beating violently a young boy under the influence of narcotics who was accused of stealing the tail light of a vehicle that was parked nearby.
When RegionWeek’s Journalist was inquiring what was happening he took pictures and video of the incident, a lady among the group who was beating up the boy snatched the phone from the journalist's hand and deleted the pictures and videos. In his effort to introduce himself as a Journalist, Mr. Fabrice was ripped off by the crowd.
A few minutes later the lady that deleted the pictures and videos came with a group of soldiers and handed them the phone but she failed to show them pictures that were taken, rather he said that the Journalist took the pictures of UN vehicles, and sent pictures to unknown platforms. Mr. Fabrice explained to the soldiers what happened, but the Lady insisted that he should be arrested, the boy and the Journalist and the Young boy was handcuffed together, and were brought to a military station near Cathedrale Regina Mundi, the Lady introduced herself as someone working for UN system in Burundi, but she never mentioned her name, she was driving a car with a diplomatic plate.
The chief of the military station ordained that we should be taken to the Police. Moments later RegionWeek Journalist and the Young boy were taken to ex BCR police station for questioning. The police officer asked the young boy about the incident, then questioned Mr. Fabrice who provided the whole story, and asked to know who was the accuser, the Lady refused to provide her identity, and said that she was representing the UN security in Bujumbura, the journalist insisted to get her identity but the Lady refused.
Moments later, RegionWeek’s Journalist provided all his IDs for verification and signed his deposition in front of the Police Officer, and the Lady. Mr. Fabrice was asked to give a moment of discussion to the Lady and the Police officer and was directed to go outside. After a few minutes, he was called back to the office and he was told that he is free to go home and that he should not by any means publish what he saw or recover the pictures that were deleted in his phone by that Lady.
What RegionWeek Journalist saw was a group of people beating a young boy that was under the influence of narcotics. Mr. Fabrice was eager to know and to investigate what was happening. He didn't recognize anybody but he was assaulted by a Lady that later identified herself as working for the UN system in Burundi.
RegionWeek Team believes that a member of the United Nations Staff is required to observe high standards in respecting human rights. We failed to believe that this Lady that assaulted Mr. Fabrice is really a member of UN staff in Bujumbura. We failed to know what she was doing at the place of the incident, and why she was beating the young boy. That's why we appeal to the United Nations leaders in Burundi to help the Regionweek’s Team to verify the Identity of that lady, and make sense of what was happening, and ask for accountability.
RegionWeek Team