New York, September 15, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned the arrest of Jean Léonard Rugambage, a reporter for the twice-monthly newspaper Umuco who accused judges of a traditional court in Rwanda of corruption. Rugambage has been held without charge since his arrest on September 7 in the central town of Gitarama. He has…
New York, March 22, 2005—A Rwandan appeals court today stiffened the sentence against a newspaper editor as it upheld his conviction on charges that he defamed the deputy speaker of parliament in a 2004 article. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the ruling, saying it reflected the ongoing harassment of editors and reporters for Umuseso,…
Overviewby Julia Crawford With the rule of law weak in many African countries, journalists regularly battle threats and harassment, not only from governments but also from rogue elements, such as militias. Repressive legislation is used in many countries to silence journalists who write about sensitive topics such as corruption, mismanagement, and human rights abuses. If…
Rwanda The government of President Paul Kagame continued to suppress criticism and maintain a firm grip on the press in 2004. Although the 2003 elections were supposed to bring democracy to Rwanda, independent journalists continued to live in fear of harassment and imprisonment, and others were forced to flee after receiving death threats.
New York, November 23, 2004—The editor of Umuseso, Rwanda’s only independent newspaper, was acquitted today on a criminal charge of ethnic “divisionism,” but convicted of defamation for a story that raised questions about parliament’s vice president. Charles Kabonero averted a prison sentence, but was ordered to pay a fine of 8,500 Rwandan francs (US$15) and…
New York, November 16, 2004—The editor of Umuseso, a Rwandan language independent weekly, was tried today on criminal charges of defamation and “divisionism” in connection with an article that accused parliamentary Vice President Denis Polisi of plotting to seize power. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the trial, saying journalists should not be criminally prosecuted…