Judges turn blind eye to torture – HRW

Rwanda's military has routinely unlawfully detained and tortured detainees with beatings, asphyxiations, mock executions and electric shocks, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released last week. It found that judges and prosecutors ignored complaints from current and former detainees about the unlawful detention and ill-treatment, creating an environment of total impunity. It called on Rwandan authorities and the UN to investigate immediately. 'Research over a number of years demonstrates that military officials in Rwanda can use torture whenever they please,' said Ida Sawyer, Central Africa director at HRW. 'Impunity for unlawful detention and the systematic use of torture has led many victims to give up all hope for justice.' HRW has confirmed 104 cases of people who were illegally detained, and in many cases tortured or ill-treated, in Rwandan military detention centres between 2010 and 2016. The total number is most likely much higher due to the secret nature of the abuses and many former detainees’ fear of reprisals.