On Wednesday, January 10, 2024, Rwandan journalist Dieudonné Niyonsenga, also known as Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné, appeared for the review of his trial, during which he had been sentenced to 7 years in prison on appeal—a verdict denounced by Reporters Without Borders as “harsh, arbitrary, and absurd.”
Facing the judge, Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné appeared weakened and emaciated, denouncing severe torture he has been subjected to in detention, as reported by the BBC.
With tears during the hearing, he claimed to have been held in isolation in a hole for nearly 3 years, monitored by soldiers, and beaten almost daily.
According to his lawyers, under the current conditions, obtaining justice for their client is impossible, and the case has been adjourned to February 6.
Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné, one of Rwanda’s prominent journalists whose YouTube channel had nearly 15,000,000 views at the time, was initially arrested on April 15, 2020, for “non-compliance with COVID-19-related confinement directives.” His arrest was part of a wave of arrests targeting journalists who had exposed a series of abuses committed by the Rwandan authorities during the lockdown.
Less than two weeks before his arrest, Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné had published testimonies from residents of the “Bannyahe” neighborhood on his YouTube channel. The neighborhood had been trying to expel residents for several years, with some claiming to have been beaten and others tortured. Several women also reported being raped by Rwandan soldiers during the lockdown.
Initially, Rwandan authorities denied the allegations. Marie-Goretti Umutesi, the police spokesperson in Kigali, called for the “tracking down” of “those who say such things.” However, following the scandal caused by the broadcast of Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné’s reports, the Rwandan army acknowledged the incidents, attributing them to “a few undisciplined soldiers.” The army subsequently announced a public trial for the involved soldiers, which has not taken place to date, and the implicated soldiers have since been released.
In this context, Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné was arrested for “non-compliance with confinement measures” before being held on charges of “document forgery ,” “illegal practice of journalism,” and “obstruction of public works.”
On March 11, 2021, after nearly a year of pre-trial detention, the journalist was acquitted of all charges, with the first-instance judge stating that no accusations against him were founded, ordering his immediate release.
For the Committee to Protect Journalists, “While it’s good news that Dieudonné Niyonsenga and Fidèle Komezusenge (his driver) have been acquitted and released in Rwanda, they should never have been arrested, and it is a serious injustice that the courts maintained unfounded charges against them for almost a year.”
After his release, Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné resumed his work, believing himself safe from a return to prison despite the prosecutor’s appeal of his acquittal.
Harsh, Arbitrary, and Absurd Conviction on Appeal
On November 11, 2021, nearly 9 months after his acquittal, Cyuma Hassan Dieudonné was found guilty of all charges for which he had been initially acquitted. The additional accusation of “humiliating state officials” was also added, an offense no longer punishable under Rwandan law since 2019. Subsequently, the Court of Appeal sentenced him to 7 years in prison and ordered his immediate arrest.
Reporters Without Borders protested this conviction, describing it as “harsh, arbitrary, and absurd.” The association futilely called on Rwandan authorities to “stop their hunt for journalists working online.” According to the association, the charges officially brought against Cyuma only served to mask what he is truly being accused of, namely, “his investigations, reports, and the critical stance of his media.”
Since then, Cyuma has been in detention and has requested a review of his trial. This led to his appearance on January 10, 2024, before the Court of Appeal, where he appeared weakened and emaciated before denouncing his detention conditions. The case has been adjourned to February 6, 2024.