In the run-up to presidential elections in 2017, the environment for free debate and dissent continued to be hostile. High-ranking army officers were handed heavy sentences after a flawed trial.

Background

President Paul Kagame announced a substantial cabinet reshuffle in October and the closure of the Ministry for Internal Security, whose responsibilities were taken over by the Ministry of Justice.

Rwanda hosted the African Union Summit in July.

Freedoms of association and assembly

In March, the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, a registered opposition political party, announced that it would not participate in the 2017 presidential elections if the government did not respond to its demands for political and electoral reforms. The Rwanda Governance Board rejected the requested reforms in September. The party nominated their president Dr Frank Habineza as their presidential candidate on 17 December.

The United Democratic Forces (FDU-Inkingi), an unregistered opposition political party, continued to face serious challenges. Party member Illuminée Iragena went missing on her way to work on 26 March. People close to her believe she was unlawfully detained and tortured, and may have died. Family members who requested a police investigation were not given an official response.

Another FDU-Inkingi member, Léonille Gasengayire, was arrested and detained for three days in March after visiting the party’s president, Victoire Ingabire, in Kigali Central Prison. She was arrested again in August in Kivumu, Rutsiro district, and charged with inciting insurrection. She remained in custody awaiting trial.

Freedom of expression

The Rwanda Law Reform Commission began discussions with media practitioners in early 2016 on revising the 2013 Media Law. In its roadmap for implementing the recommendations accepted during Rwanda’s examination in 2015 under the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR), the government pledged to decriminalize “defamation”.

Journalist John Ndabarasa was last seen in Kigali on 7 August. After his disappearance was reported to police by the Rwanda Media Commission, the police announced that they were opening an investigation. It was not clear whether the disappearance was related to John Ndabarasa’s journalism or his family connections to Joel Mutabazi, President Kagame’s former bodyguard serving a life sentence for treason.

Human rights defenders

On 28 May, Congolese national Epimack Kwokwo, programme co-ordinator of the regional NGO Human Rights League of the Great Lakes Region (LDGL), was expelled from Rwanda when his work permit expired after long delays in renewing the NGO’s registration. He attended an appointment at the immigration offices, was notified of his expulsion and then driven to the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo without being allowed to return home to collect his belongings or inform his family. LDGL’s re-registration was granted in November. Amnesty International Report