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Minnesota lawyer caught in Rwandan political fight

by Madeleine Baran, Minnesota Public Radio

June 9, 2010

St. Paul, Minn. — A prominent Rwandan opposition leader spoke out Wednesday in defense of her jailed attorney, Minnesota law professor Peter Erlinder, who has been detained in the African country on charges of denying the country's 1994 genocide.

Rwandan presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire accused the current government of using Erlinder as a pawn in a growing crackdown on political opposition.

"We condemn [his arrest] as shameful exploitation of the misfortune of all people for political ends," Ingabire told MPR News.

Erlinder, 62, arrived in Rwanda about two weeks ago to represent Ingabire against charges that she denied the genocide. The William Mitchell College of Law faculty member was arrested on May 28 and faces similar charges of violating the country's laws against "genocide ideology." If convicted, he could face 25 years in prison.

"The government of Kagame uses the genocide as blackmail to frame everybody who's against him," she said.

Ingabire said she hopes the situation will shine a light on political oppression in Rwanda -- and she called on the U.S. government to do more to support democracy throughout Africa.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/06/09/peter-erlinder-professor-rwanda/