Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) received 83 cases of genocide ideology and related crimes during the week-long national commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi. The related crimes include genocide denial, minimization of genocide, justification of genocide, violence against a genocide survivor, disposing of or degrading evidence or information related to genocide, and others. The 27th national commemoration week ended on April 13. However, the entire commemoration period lasts for 100 days that stands for the total number of days that the genocide against the Tutsi lasted, claiming a million lives. The number of alleged genocide ideology and related crimes cases received by RIB in this year’s national mourning represents a slight drop from 91 cases reported to the investigator last year. The highest number of alleged genocide ideology and related crimes was recorded in 2017 whereby a total of 114 cases were reported. In 2018 they were 72, whereas in 2019 they were 80. These cases include those allegedly committed against genocide survivors directly, and those committed in public through words or actions that most of the times seek to promote double genocide propaganda and genocide denial. According to Thierry Murangira, though the number of cases is reducing overtime, the target is to fight even the existing ones. “These crimes are reducing in numbers and severity compared to previous years. Nonetheless, RIB will not stand even a single person with genocide ideology or commits related crimes,” he stressed. “Also, no one should hide under freedom of expression to commit these crimes, because the long arm of justice will not spare them,” He added. Murangira also noted that in case one witnesses a case of genocide ideology or other related crimes, they should report to RIB via a toll-free line 166 or go to a nearby RIB station. According to the law on the crime of genocide ideology and related crimes, a person who, in public, either verbally, in writing, through images or in any other manner, commits an act that manifests an ideology that supports or advocates for destroying, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, commits an offence. Upon conviction, the person is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five years and not more than seven years, with a fine of not less than Rwf500,000 and not more than one million Rwandan francs. The same punishment is given to a person who manifests a behaviour or commits an act intended to harass, intimidate, dehumanize, recall boastfully the wrong they have done, mock, insult a person or destroy his/her property, on the ground that the victim is a survivor of genocide.
