On August 30, 2024, the Observatory for Human Rights in Rwanda (ODHR), led by Laurent Munyandilikirwa, issued a declaration in Paris, expressing grave concerns about the state of religious freedom in Rwanda. The declaration highlights the recent actions by President Paul Kagame’s government, which have severely restricted religious practices, particularly by closing thousands of places of worship across the country.
The current wave of closures began on July 28, 2024, when President Kagame’s administration ordered the closure of over 8,000 places of worship, including churches that have been in existence for over a century, such as the historic Rulindo Church. This move, justified by the government under the pretext of enforcing legal and regulatory standards, has effectively paralyzed the activities of numerous religious leaders and left thousands of faithful without a place to practice their faith.
The government cited several reasons for these closures, including the proliferation of faith-based organizations, disorganization within religious groups, and concerns about the quality of teachings, which are seen as misleading or fraudulent. In a televised debate on RBA1, the Rwandan Minister of Local Government defended the actions, pointing to the need for compliance with laws such as Law No. 72/2018 and Regulation RGB No. 001/2019, which govern the operation of faith-based organizations. These laws require, among other things, that religious institutions meet specific standards, avoid noise pollution, and ensure that their leaders possess appropriate qualifications.
This is not the first time the Rwandan government has taken such drastic measures against religious institutions. Similar closures occurred in 2018 and 2019, affecting over 15,000 places of worship. Those who criticized these actions faced arrest, intimidation, and suppression. The current crackdown, however, is more extensive and appears to be part of a broader strategy by the Kagame administration to tighten control over religious practices and limit the influence of religious leaders who are not aligned with the ruling party, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (FPR).
According to reports from various media outlets, including the BBC and Kigali Today, the government has previously used similar tactics to control religious communities, citing security concerns as a justification. However, many observers believe that these actions are motivated more by a desire to control public opinion and suppress dissent than by genuine concerns about public safety.
One of the most striking aspects of the current situation is the near-total silence of the Catholic Church and other major religious institutions in Rwanda. Despite the widespread impact of the closures, the Catholic hierarchy, including Cardinal Antoine Kambanda, Archbishop of Kigali, has remained largely silent. This silence is particularly puzzling given the church’s historical role in Rwanda and the fact that many of its places of worship have been directly affected by the closures.
Critics suggest that the church’s silence may be due to its close ties with the ruling party and a fear of retribution. This is not without precedent; during the 1994 genocide, the Catholic Church in Rwanda was accused of complicity, and many of its leaders were targeted for their ethnic affiliations. The current situation raises concerns about the extent to which the church has been co-opted by the government and whether it can still serve as an independent voice for its followers.
The ODHR’s declaration expresses deep concern about the implications of these actions for human rights in Rwanda, particularly the right to freedom of conscience and religion, which are guaranteed by the Rwandan Constitution and international human rights instruments. The arbitrary closure of places of worship, the intimidation of religious leaders, and the government’s increasing control over religious institutions all point to a troubling erosion of these fundamental rights.
The ODHR has called on the Rwandan government to cease its harassment of citizens based on their religious beliefs and to respect the rights enshrined in the country’s legal framework. It has also urged the international community to pay closer attention to the situation in Rwanda and to hold the government accountable for its actions.
