Rwanda and Human Rights Since the 1994 Genocide

In 2017, President Paul Kagame was elected to a third seven-year term. According to official figures he received 99 percent of the vote. As we already pointed out in our previous episodes, even in democratic constitutional states, human rights violations occur on a regular basis. However, emerging and developing countries, such as African countries are particularly affected. In Rwanda, significant human rights issues include serious restrictions on free expressions like violence against journalists, censorship and website blocking; torture; forced disappearance; acts of violence and criminalisation on sexual orientation; substantial interference with the rights of peaceful assembly and restrictions on political participation. Host Nangamso Kwinana is joined by Louis Busingye who is a Human Rights Lawyer living in Rwanda. He has a Master’s degree in International Human Rights Law from Lancaster University (UK) and a postgraduate degree in Public International Law from the Independent University of Kigali. He is an Alumni of Uganda Christian University where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Law. He currently serves as the Strategic Associate at Interconnected Justice, a pan African organization that advocates for the dignity of African persons and heritage. Prior to this appointment, he was the Programs Coordinator at Human Rights First Rwanda Association – a national organisation that promotes Human Rights and Access to Justice for marginalised persons in Rwanda.