Rwanda: Probing death of government critic in prison

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:04]DW Africa [music] Link He survived the 1994 genocide only to die behind bars on the very day he was meant to walk free. Aimable Karasira, a Rwandan university lecturer and one of the government's most outspoken critics, recently died in prison under circumstances his family and rights groups are calling deeply suspicious.

[00:00:31]Authorities say he overdosed on his prescription medication.

[00:00:36]But critics aren't buying it and are demanding an independent investigation.

[00:00:41]So what really happened? And what does his death say about the state of free speech in Rwanda today?

[00:00:51]You are listening to Africa Link, the podcast that connects you to the stories that matter. I'm Lucy Riley, your host for today.

[00:01:02]Africa Link, every weekday here on DW.

[00:01:05][music] Aimable Karasira built a following by speaking openly about issues many in Rwanda would rather avoid, including the official narrative of the 1994 genocide.

[00:01:19]In 2021, he was arrested and charged with genocide denial and divisionism, serious offenses under Rwandan law.

[00:01:28]Now, 4 years later, on the very day he was set to be released, he breathed his last.

[00:01:35]Laws against divisionism and genocide ideology are, according to critics, increasingly being used to silence dissent. Opposition figures, journalists, and activists say civic space is shrinking. For more on this, we're now joined by lawyer and political commentator Jean-Baptiste Gasominari and DW correspondent in Kigali, Alex Ngarambe.

[00:02:00]Welcome to Africa Link.

[00:02:02]Alex, take us inside Kigali. How has the public reacted to news of Aimable Karasira's death, particularly given that he died on the very day he was due to be released? I think the public was shocked, first and foremost, because this is a man who was expected to be released from jail after serving his time.

[00:02:23]He had been jailed for 5 years.

[00:02:27]He had been sentenced, I think, back in 2021.

[00:02:30]So, the public was expecting him back in society. And on the very day of his his release, that's where news came in that um he had overdosed himself on his medication.

[00:02:44]So, the public was shocked, basically, to say because they were expecting to see the gentleman if he comes back with the same opinions or if he comes back a changed man. Right. And I want to loop you in here, Jean Baptiste. Um Karasira died from a drug overdose, according to Rwandan authorities, but Human Rights Watch called Karasira's death suspicious, saying Kigali bore the burden of proving he was not unlawfully killed. What concerns does Karasira's death raise from a human rights perspective? As a lawyer, I believe that um people can die from natural death.

[00:03:26]People can um commit suicide.

[00:03:29]People can uh die through an accident. So, I think before any credible investigation is carried out, uh the uh anything that anybody or any organization says, it's just uh I may say it's an opinion because it is not um a result of a an investigation.

[00:03:51]Uh there was no evidence gathered uh from where he died and why he died. So, I think it is premature to accuse anyone of the death, but taking it as a suspicious thing, that is very normal. But when you have suspicion, then you carry out investigation and at the end of investigation, the findings will tell you if the hypothesis that you had correct uh have led to your conclusion. But concluding before investigating, for me I I found it speculation. It's a just pure speculation. It's an allegation. And you know, when there are allegations and defense to those allegations, they are just allegations. So, I I believe I'm not even in a position to comment on allegations because Human Rights Watch was not where Karasira died from.

[00:04:51]Human Rights Watch did not carry out any investigation. So, any any conclusion without findings from investigation are premature and lack any credibility. Jean Baptiste, I'm curious. How significant is it that Karasira died on the day he was due to be released? For me, I think it's just a coincidence because the the the exact cause of his death is not very well known because the official version is that he took overdose of drugs that he was taking.

[00:05:29]Uh but as I was saying previously, I think before any investigation is carried out and the exact cause of his death is determined, then I think it will be premature to conclude by saying that this is suspicious or this this is not the right cause or that. You I think for me I call them pure speculations.

[00:05:53]Mhm. And John, just maybe to broaden it out because like you've said, you know, he was charged under Rwanda's laws on genocide denial and divisionism. This is what we know. But these laws were originally designed to protect national healing after 1994.

[00:06:11]But also critics argue that they're now being weaponized against dissent. Where in your view is the line being crossed between legitimate protection and political silencing in Rwanda? I think this is something that happens all over the world in all countries. So um no one can draw a conclusion that laws are being used just to silence the critics.

[00:06:38]But what we know is that Karasira was taken to court, charged while being assisted by by lawyers. Uh and he was tried by a competent court.

[00:06:51]And at the end of the proceedings, it was found out that he was guilty of the offenses that he was being accused of.

[00:07:00]So upon conviction he served his sentence. And surprisingly, the day he was supposed to be released from prison is the day when his death was announced. So I think there are things to be verified first.

[00:07:17]There are things to be found out. Then after doing that credible investigation, at the end of the investigation, then from the findings from the investigation, you can rightly conclude that he died for natural death or his death was provoked by something that you can prove. Because I do not share the statement saying that uh the government of Rwanda has the burden to prove because the government of Rwanda is not the one alleging. So the one alleging is the one having the burden to prove what he is alleging. So I think to be fair, it's so unfortunate that he died, but after his death, I think people should take time investigate the cause of of his death. Then the the findings from the investigation will be the ones telling us exactly how he died, why he died, and for which cause. Mhm. Mhm.

[00:08:25]Alex, let me loop you back in here because the government has rejected calls for, you know, independent investigation from Human Rights Watch and others. How is that position being received locally? And what does it signal about, you know, Kigali's willingness to engage with international scrutiny? Uh locally, locally, Karasira's death has not been talked a lot, especially in the media, because I think his death was announced by the prison services.

[00:08:57]Uh the prison services issued the a small statement. Basically, it was a death announcement to his family.

[00:09:04]And that's what guided the media in terms of reporting about his death.

[00:09:09]We have not seen deep analysis. We have not seen the media asking hard questions.

[00:09:16]I think his death was talked about 1 or 2 days, and it is really forgotten, and people have moved on.

[00:09:24]Nobody is talking about, especially from locally here in Kigali, nobody, no human right, local human right organization, no any other organization that has asked the government to have this independent probe into his death apart from the Human Rights Watch that issued a statement talking about how mysterious his death was.

[00:09:50]So, and I don't see any other organization in Rwanda beat the Gasana's Bar Association or the media fraternity or any other human rights organization locally here.

[00:10:04]I don't see any of them tasking the government to carry out an independent probe into his death.

[00:10:12]Because as a journalist myself, I don't see how I can make a breakthrough in trying to really find out if this death was really indeed an overdose or there was foul play. I don't see myself making any breakthrough because I think anytime I try to contact, I'll be referred to the death announcement made by the prison services.

[00:10:42]And I don't see any government official, especially in prisons where he died. I don't see myself really asking for an interview with the prison services, the prison authority and they are willing to sit down with me and give me that interview. So, I don't see that happening. So, how Rwanda is willing to engage international scrutiny? Well, Rwanda has been accused mainly by the international organization like Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, CPJ.

[00:11:20]They have been accused of all these human rights violations for a long time and Rwanda has been at loggerheads verbally with these organizations.

[00:11:33]Rwanda accuses them of being politically motivated and political witch hunt against the current regime in Rwanda because Rwanda regime the current government in Rwanda says they have developed the country in aspects in terms of the economy, in terms of peace and stability.

[00:11:54]In every aspect of life, infrastructure, but these organizations don't uh acknowledge this.

[00:12:01]They don't give Rwandan government the credit it deserves in terms of transforming this country. So, it is always a back and forth between the government of Rwanda and these international organizations.

[00:12:13]So, how soon they can sit down and harmonize and work together because I think it is in the interest of all of us to work together, especially if in terms of such deaths where it leaves so many questions hanging.

[00:12:31]It would be better to have these independent independent commissions that can take over these and so many others to independently investigate them and them. So, this can take only the political will in Rwanda and the goodwill from these international organizations because maybe maybe maybe the Rwandan government could be true that they're politically motivated and if they want independent results, then they don't have to be politically motivated. They have to come neutral and try to find the truth. So, it is between the government of Rwanda to have this political will and also these international organizations to sit down with the government as equals and without any hidden motives and agenda. So, this would be in the best interest of everyone.

[00:13:30]Right. Um let me loop you back in here, Jean Baptiste. Um what risks do critics face um especially when speaking out in Rwanda? Well, uh critics if they do what they do following what the law requires, they they cannot face any consequence. But if they breach the law, then what do you expect? Uh those people are prosecuted, of course, and if found guilty, they are sentenced and sent to jail given other sentences. Because in Rwanda, I may not say that the 14 million of people share the same views. Uh people express their their views differently through their publication in social media in in in in traditional media. And they they are not in jail or they are not afraid of anything. But provided that they do it according to what the law requires.

[00:14:31]So, if you contravene the law, uh obviously what you face is just prosecution because you have violated the law.

[00:14:39]So, it is safe to air your opinion if it is against the opinion of the government. But provided that you do it in accordance with the law. When you do it uh contrary to what the law requires, then you are held accountable for what you have you have said. Yeah. All right, then let's let's let's just move a little bit to the laws on genocide ideology. You know, are those laws being used appropriately or selectively? I I may say that they are being used appropriately because the government has no reason to use them selectively.

[00:15:16]Because if if that happens, then those laws will be against the constitution and I believe uh as practitioners they should sue that law and request it's it's removal from the the the legal the legal documents that are being used because all citizen enjoy the same rights.

[00:15:42]They have the right to to air their opinions. They have the right to be to to to to to equal justice. They are entitled [clears throat] to every every single aspect that the law and the constitution accord to them. So I do not see a credible government applying laws with discrimination, applying them to some people and avoid to apply them to other other people. I believe this can even lead to an uprising of the population because that that would be very unfair. That would be very unfair.

[00:16:26]I can't I can't see that happen. Mhm.

[00:16:30]Alex, let me bring you back in here before we come to a close. As a journalist working on the ground, what are the real risks and red lines when reporting on politically sensitive cases like this one of Caritas? The risks could be there like anywhere else.

[00:16:46]But again we find ourselves in Rwanda really avoiding sensitive stories or what we would call sensitive stories.

[00:16:57]Mainly because we are not going to have sources. We don't have people speaking on record, especially when it comes to such controversial topics. Even the authorities, the government itself when it comes to such controversial topics they will simply issue a small statement and that will guide the media coverage of such topics.

[00:17:25]We will not find government official to sit down with That is the biggest challenge. But the media has been changing over the years.

[00:17:34]I think the the law has been changing regarding the media freedoms.

[00:17:39]And the media fraternity has also had a hand in these law reforms to make the media environment more friendly to journalists.

[00:17:52]We don't see these days we don't see so many journalists fleeing the country. We don't see so many journalists in jail.

[00:18:01]What we see mainly today are the YouTubers. YouTubers in Rwanda are getting arrested.

[00:18:10]Okay, I'd like to give you the closing remarks, Jean Baptiste. And I was just thinking as you were talking about, you know, some of those who've been detained in East African countries and other African countries whose health has perhaps deteriorated or the conditions of even the prisons might be questionable. But what lessons are there that other African countries could adopt, Jean Baptiste, in order to make conditions more favorable even for detainees? Thank you very much. I think the very the very first one is the respect of the law. The law gives guidelines that people should should follow so that they do their profession without any hindrance. This is one. I think we cannot just take it like global. You know, each country has a its own realities.

[00:19:02]Rwanda is a country that has been traumatized by a genocide and this genocide was prepared by the government, of course, helped by the media because if you you followed what happened during the prosecution of these genocide cases, media people were among the people who were prosecuted because of the role they played in 1994.

[00:19:29]So, you would not expect Rwanda to have a a laws that are open to journalists and other media specialists write anything and anyhow because, you know, this society that is traumatized needs to be healed. And this situation is only found in Rwanda. So, you cannot compare it with the situation in Tanzania or in Kenya or in Uganda or in Burundi or elsewhere where a genocide of that magnitude did not happen. So, this is this is one. So, the the the only thing to do is to stick by the laws because those laws actually were initiated because they wanted to protect the society from something that had happened before so that this slogan never again be a reality and not just a slogan. So, you may understand that the laws that were enacted after the genocide were inspired partly by the the genocide itself as a social a social and political event that happened in in Rwanda.

[00:20:42]So, this is why even journalists and other specialists should be very careful while broadcasting, while writing, while publishing because there are sensitive stories that can lead the society to be traumatized further when they are not even healed from the trauma the trauma that they have encountered during genocide. So, this is just a point that I wanted to raise.

[00:21:11]So, Rwanda, even though it is 32 years after the genocide, but the consequences of genocide are being lived until today.

[00:21:20]So, this is why what is happening in other countries and the way they are doing it would be slightly different from how the same is being done in Rwanda by professionals of media and other specialists who are writing and publishing. Stick by the law.

[00:21:37]Do your job. If you contravene the law, then the law will deal with you.

[00:21:43]As simple as that. Yes, in as much as we have to do our job and do it right, it's my appeal that the government should open up to journalists.

[00:21:55]They should give us this information.

[00:21:56]They should not hide this information away.

[00:21:59]They should not fear the microphones.

[00:22:02]They should not fear the cameras.

[00:22:04]That's why journalists are always in the dark because it is only government that can speak about these things. And if they keep quiet, they are not helping the situation. If they lock out the journalists, if they lock out this information, then speculation will always be there. And all these questions will be asked, you know, because they have kept quiet. If they keep quiet, speculation is bound to happen.

[00:22:32]Gentlemen, thank you very much for your time. Lawyer and political commentator Jean Baptiste Gasominari and DW correspondent in Kigali, Alex Ngarambe.

[00:22:42]Thank you for your input today. Thank you. Karasiira's death is not just about one man. It taps into a much bigger conversation about justice, accountability, and the limits of free expression in Rwanda.

[00:22:56]Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have long warned about deaths and disappearances of government critics and they're now demanding a transparent independent probe into what happened in that prison cell. Ordinary Rwandans weigh in. I think he was a a frustrated intellectual like many in the tight political space in this country so he exploded and did not know the terrain he was dealing with but of course in the various conversations definitely somebody who was traumatized by the past and like many others did not get sufficient psychosocial care which was necessary.

[00:23:40]It's um his death is unfortunate but we don't know the full circumstances.

[00:23:47]He attracted of course an audience on social media which is always out there.

[00:23:55]But his statements did not necessarily reflect what was on the ground.

[00:24:01]I got to know Imma Bule Karasira in 2012 through newspapers where he was a lecturer at the university teaching information technology. Newspapers reported widely about him when he [clears throat] produced a song.

[00:24:16]Next time I heard he was dismissed from university due to misconduct and during COVID he opened a YouTube channel with controversial topics until he went to jail where he died.

[00:24:30]He tells you man. Those were some voices reacting to the death of Imma Bule Karasira.

[00:24:36]Rwanda is often praised for its stability and economic progress but human rights groups say that progress comes at a cost. What do you think?

[00:24:46]Share your thoughts with us on Facebook and on TikTok at DW Africa. Listen to us on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast and don't forget to subscribe to our DW Africa YouTube channel. This show was co-produced and edited by Eddie Micah Jr. I'm Lucy Riley. Thanks for listening.

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