abortion-related offences. Abortion remained After being repeatedly summoned by the illegal in most circumstances, although the Rwanda Investigation Bureau, academic 2018 Penal Code introduced exceptions in Aimable Karasira was arrested in May and cases of rape, incest or forced marriage. charged with denying and justifying the RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL genocide, instigating division and fraud. A genocide survivor, he had posted videos in Paul Rusesabagina was convicted of which he said that Rwandan Patriotic Front terrorism offences in September, following a soldiers had killed members of his family in trial and pretrial period marred by serious fair 1994. trial violations. Alongside 20 co-accused, he In October six people, including journalist was tried in relation to attacks by the National Theoneste Nsengimana and members of the Liberation Forces, a group he had previously opposition political party DALFA-Umurinzi pledged support for. After his unlawful (Development and Liberty for All), were transfer from Dubai to Kigali on 28 August arrested, accused of “spreading rumours to 2020, he disappeared for four days, during cause unrest among the population”. Two which time, according to his lawyers, he was days earlier, Theoneste Nsengimana had tortured. He was then held in posted a video of a woman calling on people incommunicado detention for three days. The to celebrate “Ingabire Day” (named for lawyer appointed by his family was denied DALFA-Umurinzi leader Victoire Ingabire) to access to him for his first six weeks of honour jailed, abducted and killed opposition detention, during which time he was figures. represented by two pro bono lawyers. The RIGHT TO PRIVACY prison authorities inspected and confiscated privileged and confidential documents In July, the Pegasus Project revealed that the brought to him by his lawyers. This practice phone of Paul Rusesabagina’s daughter, continued despite a court ruling that Carine Kanimba, was infected with the NSO documents related to the case should not be Group’s Pegasus spyware. Rwanda is confiscated (although other documents believed to be an NSO Group client. More unrelated to the case could first be than 3,500 phone numbers, including those inventoried by the prison authorities). This of activists, journalists, political opponents, ruling was the only action taken by the court foreign politicians and diplomats of interest to to attempt to remedy the fair trial violations. Rwanda, had been selected as potential 2 From 12 March onwards, Paul Rusesabagina targets for the spyware. did not attend hearings because he believed his fair trial rights would not be respected.1 RIGHT TO TRUTH, JUSTICE AND REPARATION FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION In March, a French commission, established Several bloggers and commentators active on to review state archives concerning France’s YouTube were arrested and prosecuted. role and engagement in Rwanda between Yvonne Idamange was arrested in February 1990 and 1994, published its final report. after posting a video in which she claimed The Duclert Commission found that, although that the president was dead and called on not an accomplice to the genocide, France people to march to his office. She also bore responsibility for its blindness to the criticized lockdown measures and policies preparation for a genocide and its slowness around genocide commemoration. She was to break with the regime responsible for it. convicted in September and sentenced to 15 President Macron acknowledged France’s years in prison, on charges including responsibility and sought forgiveness from “inciting public disorder”, “disposing of or the Rwandan people. In April the Muse degrading evidence or information relating to Report, commissioned by the Government of genocide” and “publication of rumours”. Rwanda, went further, stating that France Amnesty International Report 2021/22 315