Rwanda: Global Playbook of Abuse to Silence Critics
Feature
Duration
: 4m 39s
(New York, October 10, 2023) – Rwandan authorities and their proxies are using violence, judicial mechanisms and intimidation to try to silence criticism from Rwandans living around the world, Human Rights Watch said in a report published today. The moves aim to preserve Rwanda’s coveted image, quash dissent that could emerge from abroad, and reinforce a chilling message of the price to be paid to critics within the country.
In the 99-page report, “Join Us or Die: Rwanda’s Extraterritorial Repression,” Human Rights Watch documents a wide array of tactics that, when used together, form a global ecosystem of repression, aimed not only to muzzle dissenting voices but to scare off potential critics. The combination of physical violence including killings and enforced disappearances, surveillance, misuse of law enforcement – both domestic and international – abuses against relatives in Rwanda, and the reputational damage through online harassment constitute clear efforts to isolate potential critics.
Videos (1)
Clip Reel
0s
Related News
ENG
FRA
ESP
Thursday, 8 October 2026
US: Deportations to African Countries Not Their Own
Denied Due Process; Some Returned to Danger in Home Countries
ENG
FRA
Wednesday, 22 July 2026
DR Congo: Oil Company Operations Pose Grave Pollution Threat
Transparency Needed to Address Health Risks to Nearby Communities
ENG
Friday, 12 June 2026
Malawi: People with Albinism Face Discrimination, Barriers to Work
Stigma, Insecurity, Lack of Accommodations Undermine Rights