Burundi Journalist Sandra Muhoza Freed After 2 Years

After spending almost two years in prison for messages she sent in a journalist WhatsApp group, Sandra Muhoza is finally breathing free air again.

The Burundian journalist was released on March 4 following a court order that allows her to await her appeal outside prison walls. Muhoza, who reported for the online newspaper La Nova Burundi, had been sentenced to four years in prison for charges including undermining territorial integrity and inciting ethnic hatred.

Her story began in April 2024 when authorities arrested her over private comments she made in a group chat with fellow journalists. The case took a winding path through Burundi's legal system, with an initial 21-month sentence, a brief glimmer of hope when that conviction was overturned on jurisdictional grounds, and then new proceedings on the same charges that resulted in an even harsher sentence.

During her imprisonment, Muhoza's health deteriorated so severely that she struggled to walk. Yet support for her grew beyond prison walls. In December 2025, 127 African women journalists wrote her a letter expressing solidarity and demanding her release.

Now provisionally free, Muhoza must remain in Ngozi province and report regularly to authorities while her appeal moves forward. Her next court date is March 20, when judges will decide whether to overturn her conviction entirely.

Why This Inspires

Muhoza's release shows the power of sustained international pressure and solidarity. The Committee to Protect Journalists never stopped advocating for her freedom, and fellow African journalists refused to let her case fade from public attention.

Her provisional release reminds us that speaking truth shouldn't cost journalists their freedom. While Burundi remains a difficult place for media professionals, with repeated prosecutions and harassment, Muhoza's case has brought global attention to press freedom challenges in the country.

The journalist community's response proves that supporting colleagues facing unjust persecution can make a real difference. Their letters, statements, and persistent advocacy helped keep pressure on authorities until the prison doors finally opened.

Muhoza's journey isn't over yet, but she's fighting it from outside prison walls, surrounded by a global community that believes in her right to report the news.