Rwanda Independent Media Group (Rimeg) has suspended its publications indefinitely. Rimeg publishes weeklies Umuseso, Newsline and Rwanda Champion.The group’s Managing Director, Charles Kabonero, confirmed the suspension yesterday. He said: “We suspended publications with effect from Tuesday; we want government officials who accused us of working with the country’s enemies to explain what they said first,” Kabonero said. “We need them to come up with evidence to prove that we are being used by negative forces,” he added. Last month, four cabinet ministers said during a live town hall debate that some media organisations are serving interests of negative forces and are enemies of the state. The ministers are James Musoni (Finance) and Moussa Fazil Harerimana (Internal Security), Prof. Laurent Nkusi of Information and Tharcisse Karugarama of Justice. The show was also attended by Military and Police Spokespersons, Maj. Jill Rutaremara and Inspector Willy Marcel Higiro, respectively. Meanwhile the High Council of the Press has challenged the ministers to substantiate their accusations. The council also said in a statement a journalist should not be tasked to reveal his/her source notwithstanding the fact that the information obtained was state secrets, unless before a court of law. Minister Harerimana had asserted that any journalist who authors a story on classified government information would be treated as a criminal, and be compelled to reveal their sources. “The High Council of Press maintains that according to article 314 to 316 of the Penal Code making government information public doesn’t concern the media but instead the officials charged with custody of such documents,” reads part of the release that was circulated to different media outlets this week. Ends
