After a week of deafening silence, the US State Department finally condemned Rwanda for the unlawful detention of American lawyer, Professor Peter Erlinder. In a press briefing on Thursday June 3, 2010, Assistant Secretary of State and State Department spokesman Peter J. Crowley told reporters that the US Government is doing whatever it can to secure the release of the American lawyer.
“We want to be sure that he is accorded all of his rights…
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US State Department update in June 4, 2010 daily press briefing:
“Turning to Africa, the United States is deeply disturbed by the apparent assassination of noted Congolese human rights leader Floribert Chebeya and the disappearance of his driver Fidele Bazana in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mr. Chebeya’s body was found in his car on Tuesday morning. Mr. Bazana has not been heard from since the two men told colleagues on the evening of June 1 that they were en route to a meeting with the Inspector General of the Congolese National Police, who allegedly summoned Mr. Chebeya.
The United States extends its condolences to his family and friends and calls for an immediate investigation. We and others have offered to help in that investigation to determine the cause and manner of his death. We remain hopeful that Mr. Bazana will be located unharmed and that the Government of the DRC will respect the rights of all of its citizens and ensure the safety of all of its human rights activists.
Also we put out a response in a media note yesterday that we did have a meeting here at the State Department yesterday afternoon with senior officials from the Bureau of Consular and African Affairs and the Office of Legal Adviser with family members of Peter Erlinder. Mr. Erlinder was released from the hospital yesterday evening and is back in his retention cell. And we continue to expect that the Rwandan authorities will accord him due process in a timely and transparent manner, and we look for a compassionate and expeditious resolution.”
Source:http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2010/06/142727.htm