17 July 2001

DEATH PENALTY PROPOSED FOR JOURNALISTS WHO INCITE HATRED


Rwanda is considering introducing the death penalty for local journalists who incite racial hatred, according to the United Nations Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN). The country's parliament is currently debating a media bill that would impose a minimum jail term of 20 years or even death for any local journalist found guilty of using the mass media to incite genocide. Any foreign journalist who incites the public to commit genocide would be banned from entering or staying in Rwanda. The bill also proposes that journalists be compelled to reveal their sources.

Rwandan media outlets are alleged to have played a significant role in inciting the ethnic hatred that culminated in the 1994 genocide, reports IRIN. Several journalists are currently on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, on charges of inciting the population to commit genocide.

For more information, see www.reliefweb.int/IRIN.




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Also from the Communiqué, 17 July 2001

INTERNATIONAL: SEEKS APPLICANTS FOR JOURNALISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMME 17 July 2001 INTERNATIONAL: ON "TERRORISM AGAINST THE MEDIA" 17 July 2001 CHILE: JOURNALIST RETURNS HOME; FILM SCREENING SUSPENDED; JUDGE WANTS TO QUESTION KISSINGER ABOUT "MISSING" JOURNALIST 17 July 2001 NICARAGUA: PLEDGE TO UPHOLD PRESS FREEDOM; GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING POLICY CRITICISED 17 July 2001 INTERNATIONAL: MOSCOW RELEASES JOURNALIST WHO FACED DEATH IF EXTRADITED 17 July 2001 INTERNATIONAL: LEADS TO CALLS FOR BOYCOTT AND ACTION BY CORPORATE SPONSORS 17 July 2001 ANGOLA: PROVINCIAL OFFICIAL KILLS JOURNALIST; PRESS CONDITIONS DETERIORATE 17 July 2001

Rwanda

Proposed media law fails to safeguard free press 5 January 2012 Three journalists arrested in the span of a week 16 November 2011 Supreme Court urged to overturn journalists' convictions 1 November 2011 Rugambage murder trial verdict raises more questions than it answers, says RSF 26 September 2011 Newspaper receives threats, suspends publication 31 August 2011 See all alerts: Rwanda


Central and Eastern Africa

SOUTH SUDAN: Journalist assaulted in Parliament 9 February 2012 UGANDA: Court acquits “Daily Monitor” editors 8 February 2012 DJIBOUTI: Radio journalist threatened and tortured for 24 hours 3 February 2012 KENYA: WiPC interview with Robert Wanyonyi on witnessing and reporting on crime 1 February 2012 KENYA: ARTICLE 19 publishes analysis of Freedom of Information Bill 1 February 2012


 
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