Widespread Torture in Prisons in Rwanda Exposed

A whistle-blower who worked for the Rwanda Correctional Services has provided us with detailed information about torture and acts of slavery committed against prisoners in Rwanda.

The majority of victims are prisoners who have either been sentenced for genocide-related crimes and crimes related to being part of an armed group based in the DRC, as well as those who have been arrested in activities related to being part of opposition groups.

The information received detailed how the police and prison guards regularly use beatings, chaining to chairs for days, prevention of sleep, forcing victims to sleep naked on the floor for days, asphyxiation, extreme body restraining methods, electric shocks, and mock executions to force confessions or to force prisoners to accuse others of crimes during trials.

Furthermore, the whistle-blower provided us with information about how construction companies owned by the current ruling party (the Rwandan Patriotic Front) and others owned by individuals close to the ruling party are regularly provided with between 100 and 150 prisoners to go and work on their construction sites for months. These prisoners are not paid and work 6 days a week, 10 hours a day, for more than 3 months in most cases.

On receiving this information, we urged the Rwandan government to immediately end these extremely inhuman and degrading practices.

We have also informed the relevant regional and international human rights organisations so they can investigate these actions further, and joined us in putting pressure on the Rwandan government to end these practices.

Global Campaign for Rwandans' Human Rights - UK Team.