Former Rwandan president Pasteu Bizimungu has been sentenced to 15 years in prison alleged for threatening state security and promoting ethnicity, the Court of First Instance said here Monday.

Bizimungu who served in the post genocide regime resigned in 2000 amid differences with the current government led by PresidentPaul Kagame.

Former transport minister Charles Ntakirutinka has also been sentenced to 10 years in prison and was also charged with threatening state security.

Both Bizimungu's family and human rights representatives argued the ruling was not fair, accusing the judges of working under government directives.

Bizimungu was seen as the only personality who challenged Kagame mainly in the last presidential election where the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) won with 96 percent votes. He was arrested while trying to form a party that was aimed at challenging the ruling RPF.

Bizimungu and Ntakirutinka have been given 31 days of appeal.

Source: Xinhua