Rwanda
Law on the Crime of Genocide Ideology and Related Crimes
Law 59 of 2018
- Published in Official Gazette special on 25 September 2018
- Assented to on 22 August 2018
- Commenced on 25 September 2018
- [This is the version of this document from 25 September 2018.]
Chapter One
General provisions
Article One – Purpose of this Law
The purpose of this Law is to describe and punish the crime of genocide ideology and related crimes.Article 2 – Definition of “public”
In this Law, “public” means a place where more than two (2) people are gathered.The following acts are also considered as done in public:1ºa publication on a website;2ºa publication on social media,3ºa publication in media;4ºa message sent to a person;5ºaudio recordings or video recordings performed by use of an appropriate device;6ºany other publication through information and communication technologies;Chapter II
Crime of genocide ideology and related crimes
Article 3 – Scope of the crime of genocide ideology and related crimes
In relation to the crime of genocide ideology and related crimes, this Law applies to:1ºgenocide committed against the Tutsi;2ºany genocide recognized by the United Nations or international courts;3ºany other act leading to the genocide as defined by international agreements ratified by Rwanda.Section One – Crime of genocide ideology
Article 4 – Genocide ideology
A person who, in public, either verbally, in writing, through images or in any other manner, commits an act that manifests an ideology that supports or advocates for destroying, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, commits an offence.Upon conviction, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years and not more than seven (7) years, with a fine of not less than five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (FRW 500,000) and not more than one million Rwandan francs (FRW 1,000,000).Section 2 – Crimes related to genocide ideology
Article 5 – Denial of genocide
A person who, in public, commits an act intended to:1ºstate or indicate that the genocide is not genocide;2ºdistort the facts about genocide for the purpose of misleading the public;3ºaffirm that there was double genocide in Rwanda;4ºstate or indicate that the genocide was not planned,commits an offence.Upon conviction of any of the acts referred to in Paragraph One of this Article, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years and not more than seven (7) years, with a fine of not less than five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (FRW 500,000) and not more than one million Rwandan francs (FRW 1,000,000).Article 6 – Minimization of genocide
A person who, in public and deliberately, manifests a behaviour intended to:1ºminimize the gravity or consequences of the genocide;2ºthe lessen the means through which genocide was committed;3ºproviding wrong statistics about the victims of the Genocide;commits an offence.Upon conviction of any of the acts referred to in Paragraph One of this Article, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years and not more than seven (7) years, with a fine of not less than five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (FRW 500,000) and not more than one million Rwandan francs (FRW1, 000,000).Article 7 – Justification of genocide
A person who, deliberately and in public, commits any act intended to:1ºglorify genocide;2ºsupport genocide;3ºlegitimize genocide;commits an offence.Upon conviction of any of the acts referred to in Paragraph One of this Article, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years and not more than seven (7) years, with a fine of not less than five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (FRW 500,000) and not more than one million Rwandan francs (FRW1, 000,000).Article 8 – Disposing of or degrading evidence or information relating to genocide
A person who, deliberately, conceals, destroys, eliminates or degrades evidence or information relating to genocide, commits an offence.Upon conviction of any of the acts referred to in Paragraph One of this Article, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than seven (7) years and not more than nine (9) years and a fine of not less than five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (FRW 500,000) and not more than one million Rwandan francs (FRW 1,000,000).Article 9 – Stealing or destroying bodies of the victims of genocide
A person who commits any of the following acts:1°stealing bodies of the victims of genocide;2°deliberately degrading or damaging bodies of the victims of genocide;commits an offence.Upon conviction of any of the acts referred to in Paragraph One of this Article, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than ten (10) years and not more than fifteen (15) years and a fine of not less than one million Rwandan francs (FRW 1,000,000) and not more than two million Rwandan francs (FRW 2,000,000).Article 10 – Demolishing, damaging or desecrating a memorial site or a place where bodies of the victims of genocide are laid to rest
A person who deliberately commits any of the following acts:1°demolishing or damaging a memorial site or a place where bodies of the victims of genocide are laid to rest;2°demolishing or damaging symbols of a memorial site or a place where bodies of the victims of genocide are laid to rest;3°desecrating a memorial site or a place where bodies of the victims of genocide are laid to rest;commits an offence.Upon conviction of any of the acts referred to in Paragraph One of this Article, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than ten (10) years and not more than fifteen (15) years and a fine of not less than one million Rwandan francs (FRW 1,000,000) and not more than two million Rwandan francs (FRW 2,000,000).Article 11 – Violence against a survivor of genocide
A person who manifests a behaviour or commits an act, intended to harass, intimidate, dehumanize, recall boastfully the wrong he/ she has done, mock, insult a person or destroy his/her property, on the ground that the victim is a survivor of genocide commits an offence.Upon conviction of any of the acts referred to in Paragraph One of this Article, he/she is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than five (5) years and not more than seven (7) years and a fine of not less than five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (FRW 500,000) and not more than one million Rwandan francs (FRW 1,000,000).Section 3 – Crime of genocide ideology and related offences committed by institutions, political organizations or other organisations
Article 12 – Punishment of the crime of genocide ideology and related crimes committed by institutions, political organizations or other organisations
The offences referred to in provisions of this Law are punished under the same a fine provided for under the same provisions if they are committed by:1°a non-government entity or company;2°a cooperative;3°a non-government organisation enjoying legal personality;4°a political organisation.The court may, in addition to the penalty of a fine, order dissolution of an entity referred to in items 1°, 2°, 3 and 4° of Paragraph One of this Article or prohibition of its operations in Rwanda.Chapter III
Final provisions
Article 13 – Drafting, consideration and adoption of this Law
This Law was drafted, considered and adopted in Ikinyarwanda.Article 14 – Repealing provision
Law n° 84/2013 of 11/09/2013 on the crime of genocide ideology and other related crimes, as well as all previous legal provisions contrary to this Law are repealed.Article 15 – Commencement
This Law comes into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda.History of this document
25 September 2018 this version
Commenced
22 August 2018
Assented to