Rwanda: Supreme court upholds law prohibiting insults to president

Event

The Supreme Court of Rwanda ruled to uphold a law on Wednesday, April 24, that prohibits insulting the president of Rwanda. The law was passed last year and punishes those insulting the president by five to seven years in prison. The court, however, overturned a separate law that criminalized writing articles or drawing cartoons of members of parliament.      

Advice

Individuals in Rwanda are advised to respect local norms and culture, refrain from discussing politics in public or on social media, and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities and their home governments.