- Thread starter
- Staff
- #1
Dadparvar
Staff member
- Nov 11, 2016
- 10,600
- 0
- 6
Human Rights Watch (HRW) Wednesday commented on the alleged exploitation of Rwanda’s justice system to stifle free speech by the Rwanda government on the conviction of Rwandan opposition politician, Théophile Ntirutwa. Ntirutwa is a member of the unregistered Dalfa-Umurinzi opposition party.
The High Court’s Rwamagana chamber sentenced Ntirutwa to seven years in prison for “spreading false information or harmful propaganda with intent to cause a hostile international opinion against [the] Rwandan Government” on December 16, 2022. Ntirutwa was previously arrested on the above charge, along with the formation of a criminal association, murder, and theft on May 11, 2020. He spent two and a half years in pretrial detention, after which he was acquitted on December 16, 2022, for all charges except spreading false information.
Rwanda’s regional and human rights obligations do not support such offenses which limit free speech. Moreover, Rwanda currently holds the chair for the Commonwealth, whose highest purpose is to promote democracy, good governance, peace, and the rule of law. According to HRW, “his conviction and harsh sentence violate human rights law”. HRW claims that the Rwanda government frequently uses the penal code to prosecute critics and members of the opposition party who have protested cuts in food rations.
HRW reports that Ntirutwa’s case is not unique and several members of the opposition party have been detained incommunicado and beaten up. The first time Ntirutwa faced charges in 2017, he forcibly disappeared for 17 days, and his detention and whereabouts were unknown before he was transferred to prison. Prisoners have claimed to be ill-treated and tortured in pretrial detention centers. Several leaders like Boniface Twagirimana and Venant Abayisenga have been reported missing and their whereabouts are still unknown.
Lewis Mudge, Central Africa Director at HRW said:
The post HRW: Rwanda’s conviction of opposition politician stifles free speech appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.
The High Court’s Rwamagana chamber sentenced Ntirutwa to seven years in prison for “spreading false information or harmful propaganda with intent to cause a hostile international opinion against [the] Rwandan Government” on December 16, 2022. Ntirutwa was previously arrested on the above charge, along with the formation of a criminal association, murder, and theft on May 11, 2020. He spent two and a half years in pretrial detention, after which he was acquitted on December 16, 2022, for all charges except spreading false information.
Rwanda’s regional and human rights obligations do not support such offenses which limit free speech. Moreover, Rwanda currently holds the chair for the Commonwealth, whose highest purpose is to promote democracy, good governance, peace, and the rule of law. According to HRW, “his conviction and harsh sentence violate human rights law”. HRW claims that the Rwanda government frequently uses the penal code to prosecute critics and members of the opposition party who have protested cuts in food rations.
HRW reports that Ntirutwa’s case is not unique and several members of the opposition party have been detained incommunicado and beaten up. The first time Ntirutwa faced charges in 2017, he forcibly disappeared for 17 days, and his detention and whereabouts were unknown before he was transferred to prison. Prisoners have claimed to be ill-treated and tortured in pretrial detention centers. Several leaders like Boniface Twagirimana and Venant Abayisenga have been reported missing and their whereabouts are still unknown.
Lewis Mudge, Central Africa Director at HRW said:
HRW asked Rwanda to repeal the provision penalizing free speech immediately and revise the penal code according to international and human rights standards.
The post HRW: Rwanda’s conviction of opposition politician stifles free speech appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.