Rwanda

The Rwandan government tightened its grip on citizens last week when the parliament’s lower house adopted legislation that sanctions the widespread monitoring of email and telephone communications.

Habarugira Epaphrodite was charged with “spreading genocide ideology” after he mixed up the Kinyarwanda words for “victims” and “survivors,” making it sound as though he approved of the genocide.

Police in Kigali are holding Idriss Gasana Byiringiro whose employer had earlier filed a complaint alleging that security agents had seized and interrogated him.

Désiré Kyakwima is accused of having asked a question that “affected the diplomatic climate between Rwanda and DRC.”

“We condemn Habarugira Epaphrodite’s placement in pre-trial detention for something he said on the air,” RSF said.

ARTICLE 19 urged the government to urgently revise its legislation, in particular the provisions on criminal defamation and incitement to genocide denial.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes several improvements in the draft, but calls on the government to bring the law into full compliance with international legal standards on the right to freedom of expression.

The organisation is concerned about provisions that do not comply with international standards on freedom of expression, especially those relating to criminal defamation, protection of national security, access to reproductive health information and genocide ideology.

Joseph Bideri was arrested following the publication of a series of articles in his newspaper regarding a case of embezzlement in the construction of the Rukarara hydro-electric dam.

On the eve of an appeal by journalists Agnès Uwimana Nkusi and Saïdati Mukabibi, ARTICLE 19 has submitted an amicus brief to the court elaborating upon international human rights law on freedom of expression and the media.

Just before his death, the journalist published an article blaming the Rwandan authorities for the attempted murder of exiled army general Kayumba Nyamwasa on 19 June 2010 in Johannesburg.

RSF activists demonstrated outside the Hotel Ritz in Paris, where Kagame was scheduled to have breakfast with a delegation of French businessmen, in protest against his visit to France.

Fidèle Gakire, the publisher of “Ishema”, decided to suspend publication for one month as a result of the serious threats he has reportedly been receiving.

The Regional Human Rights League in the Great Lakes Region is one of the few remaining independent human rights organisations in Rwanda – a country where reporting on human rights abuses invariably results in hostile reactions by the government.

The bill seeks to entrench the practice of transparency and accountability in public service delivery.

Jean Bosco Gasasira risks arrest if he returns to his country.