Rwanda: CFWIJ is concerned at Yvonne Idamange’s conviction

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October 1, 2021- Yvonne Idamange, a 42-year-old YouTube commentator and a survivor of the 1994 genocide, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday, September 30. She was accused of inciting violence after she posted critical videos on the performance of President Paul Kagame on her YouTube channel. Yvonne was arrested on February 15 and was not present in the courtroom on the day of the conviction. 

Yvonne's YouTube channel "Idamange" has a following of 18,900 subscribers with an average of 100,000 likes per video. The channel is very popular among the people unhappy with President Kagame's government. Yvonne has posted videos critiquing the government for exploiting the genocide for political purposes and not giving the survivors their due share of welfare. She was noticed by the authorities after publishing the content critical of Kagame's government.
At the time of her arrest on February 15, Rwanda National police had accused her of "exhibiting behavior that mixes politics, criminality, and madness". Yvonne had requested to stream her trial online. In June, she boycotted the court proceedings calling the trial biased after her request was rejected. The 42-year-old YouTube commentator is a mother of four and a survivor of the 1994 genocide.

On September 30, the Kigali High Court convicted Yvonne for inciting violence and civil discontent, denigrating genocide memorials, physical assault, and spreading rumors, besides other charges. The court meted out a 15-year prison term and imposed a fine equivalent to $2,000.

The CFWIJ condemns the persistent legal harassment leading to the sentence against her. We demand judicial authorities to reconsider the decision against Yvonne. The CFWIJ stands in solidarity with Yvonne and urges President Kagame to not target critical voices and suppress freedom of the press. 

We believe that Yvonne was targeted for her critical views and sentencing her for 15 years in jail is harsh. We urge President Kagame's government to let dissenting voices work in a fearless environment and let press freedom thrive.