Rwanda: CPJ Urges Rwanda to Improve Press Freedom Ahead of UN Rights Review

12 January 2026
Committee to Protect Journalists (New York)

The Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Rwanda to release all journalists imprisoned for their work and to investigate allegations that prison officials have mistreated and tortured journalists, in a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council ahead of Rwanda's Fourth Cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on January 21.

During the review, U.N. member states will assess Rwanda's human rights record and issue recommendations in line with its obligations under international law.

In its submission, CPJ highlighted Rwanda's pattern of prolonged pre-trial detention of journalists, mostly YouTube-based commentators, on vague charges that fail to meet international standards for freedom of expression. CPJ also raised concern over Rwanda's failure to credibly investigate the 2023 death of investigative journalist John Williams Ntwali.

Read the full submission here.

Read the original article on CPJ.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2026 Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.