rwanda-comment-on-the-law-relating-to-the-punishment-of-the-crime-of -genocid

COMMENT on the Law Relating to the Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Ideology of Rwanda London September 2009 ARTICLE 19, Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road, London EC1R 3GA United Kingdom Tel: +44 20 7324 2500. Fax: +44 20 7490 0566 info@article19.org · http://www.article19.org ARTICLE 19 GLOBAL CAMPAIGN FOR FREE EXPRESSION I. Introduction 1. In this Comment, ARTICLE 19 sets out its concerns about the Law No. 18/2008, the Law Relating to the Punishment of the Crime of Genocide Ideology (hereinafter the “Genocide 1Ideology Law” or “Law”) that was adopted on 23 July 2008 by the Rwandan Parliament. 2. ARTICLE 19’s Comment of the Genocide Ideology Law is informed by international human rights law, in particular the right to freedom of expression as encompassed by Articles 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (hereinafter “ICCPR”), a core international human rights treaty to which Rwanda acceded on 16 April 21975. It is recalled that Article 19 of the ICCPR states: 1) Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. 2) Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice. 3) The exercise of ...