Sandra Muhoza has been in detention since April 13, 2024. She was sentenced to one year and six months in prison for "threatening national integrity" and an additional three months for "racial hatred." On March 4, 2025, she is set to appear before the Mukaza Court of Appeal. Several organizations have spoken out, demanding her release.

In a statement issued on February 28, these organizations, mostly led by people in exile since the 2015 crisis, criticized the unfair trial process in her case.

They urged the Burundian government to release Sandra Muhoza immediately and without conditions, as her detention has been arbitrary since April 13, 2024.

According to these human rights groups, the National Intelligence Service (SNR) made up false accusations against Sandra Muhoza. They claimed she threatened national integrity and showed racial hatred just because of a comment she posted in a WhatsApp group called "Burundi Médias," which included journalists from different media outlets.

The organizations explained that Sandra Muhoza had only commented on two topics: a 1996 video shared by a colleague, where the then-defense minister spoke about the crisis at the time, and allegations that containers of machetes had been imported by the Burundian government. These issues had already caused public debate in Burundi.

The statement further noted that the charge of threatening national integrity is often used to silence critics, journalists, and human rights defenders. They argued that it is unreasonable to accuse a citizen of such a serious crime simply for expressing their opinion in a private conversation.

Sandra Muhoza was arrested on April 13, 2024, after being tricked by a businessman from Ngozi who promised her exclusive news. When she arrived, she was captured by SNR agents and taken to their headquarters the next day. Since April 19, 2024, she has been held at Mpimba Central Prison.