Rwanda won’t renew agreement with Human Rights Watch

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Rwanda won’t renew agreement with Human Rights Watch

4:46 CAT | 07 Mar 2018

Human Rights Watch has accused Rwanda of human rights abuses including imprisoning beggars and sex workers to keep the capital looking clean. Pictured: Rwandas in a transit centre

Rwanda has decided not to renew a cooperation agreement with Human Rights Watch, a representative of the country’s Ministry of Justice told the news website New Times.

Providence Umurungi said the organisation has been violating its agreements with Rwanda, including publishing “reports that tarnish the image of the country”.

Under the agreement signed with Human Rights Watch, Rwanda is entitled to know of reports before they are published and offer an explanation.

Ms Umurungi told New Times this oversight wasn’t provided.

Ida Sawyer, the Central African Director for Human Rights Watch disputes Ms Umurungi’s claims.

“Before publication of reports, Human Rights Watch has always shared our findings with Rwandan government officials and requested meetings to discuss our findings,” she said in a statement to the BBC. “Human Rights Watch will continue to seek an open and collaborative engagement with the Rwandan government in order to advance the cause of human rights for all in Rwanda.”

In 2017, the organisation published a report titled “All Thieves Must Be Killed. Extrajudicial Executions in Western Rwanda”, which angered Rwandan officials by alleging that security services had killed 37 minor criminals in 2016 and 2017.

Rwanda’s National Commission for Human Rights subsequently declared the report inaccurate, saying seven of the alleged victims were still alive.

Official: #Rwanda will not renew agreements with Human Rights Watch | IGIHE #RwOT https://t.co/LnASpO3kO9 pic.twitter.com/1m8xYOkeEH

— IGIHE (@IGIHE) March 6, 2018