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Amnesty International calls on Rwanda to review �genocide ideology� law

The London-based human rights organization, Amnesty International (AI), has said in a new report released here on Monday that Rwanda�s new government must urgently review its vague �genocide ideology� and �sectarianism� laws that are being used to suppress political dissent and stifle freedom of speech.

The report titled �Safer to Stay Silent : The Chilling Effect of Rwanda�s Laws on Genocide Ideology and Sectarianism� details how the vague wording of these laws is misused to criminalize criticism of the government and legitimate dissent by opposition politicians, human rights activists and journalists.

�The ambiguity of the �genocide ideology� and �sectarianism� law means Rwandans live in fear of being punished for saying the wrong thing,� said Erwin van der Borght, Africa Program director at Amnesty International. �Most take the safe option of staying silent.�

Amnesty found that many Rwandans, even those with specialist knowledge of Rwandan law including lawyers and human rights workers, were unable to precisely define �genocide ideology�. Even judges, the professionals charged with applying the law, noted that the law was broad and abstract.

In the lead-up to the August 9 presidential elections in Rwanda, two opposition candidates were arrested and charged, among other things, with �genocide ideology�. A newspaper editor was also arrested on the same charge.

The BBC and VOA have both been accused of disseminating �genocide ideology� by the government. These accusations led to the suspension of the BBC Kinyarwanda service for two months from April 2009.

At a local level, individuals appear to use �genocide ideology� accusations to settle personal disputes. These laws allow for the criminal punishment even of young children under 12, as well as parents, guardians or teachers convicted of �inoculating� a child with �genocide ideology�. Sentences for convicted adults range from 10 to 25 years imprisonment.

The report says that �genocide ideology� and �sectarianism� laws were introduced to restrict speech that could promote hatred in the decade following the 1994 genocide. Up to 800,000 Rwandans were killed in the genocide. Prohibiting hate speech is a legitimate aim, but the approach used by the Rwandan government has violated international law.

The Rwandan government announced a review of the �genocide ideology� law in April 2010. The report however called on the government to also launch a review of the �sectarianism� law and demonstrate a new approach to freedom of expression in order to stem the chilling effect of past legislation.

�The Rwandan government must significantly amend the laws, publicly express a commitment to freedom of expression, review past convictions and train police and prosecutors on how to investigate accusations.

�We hope that the government review will result in a meaningful revision of the �genocide ideology� and �sectarianism� laws so that freedom of expression is protected both on paper and in practice,� said Erwin van der Borght.

[APA-Moscow (Russia)]

1 comment

1 Free Call Africa { 10.09.10 at 12:48 am }

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