Heated debate of media bill expected

The Rwandan Transitional National Assembly this week began debate on the draft law regulating the practice of journalism, which currently includes three controversial articles that would impose long-term jail sentences and even death for those found guilty of inciting genocide. However, the president of the Rwandan Association of Journalists President, James Vuningoma, said while journalists and politicians generally agreed that anti-genocide legislation pertaining to use of the media was necessary, it should not be a part of a body of law pertaining specifically to journalists. "There is no country in the world that has experienced genocide that has not instituted such laws," he told IRIN on Thursday, "but a consensus has been reached among those in our profession that such legislation should be incorporated in a body of genocide law, and not in a law pertaining solely to journalists." He added that Rwanda did not have laws pertaining to genocide occurring after December 1994, leaving "a vacuum as to where to put such laws," and fueling a sense of urgency among legislators to get at least something on the books. However, Vuningoma said, journalism was being unfairly singled out and such legislation should be "put in a separate body of legislation pertaining to genocide where it will be clearly applicable to all". The three articles in question are Article 88, which provides for a sentence of 20 years to life for anyone found guilty of intending to use the media to incite people to violence; Article 89, which provides for a sentence of death for anyone found guilty of using the media to incite genocide; and Article 90, which would prohibit return to Rwanda for anyone found guilty of using the media to incite genocide from outside Rwanda. However, Vuningoma said, Article 90 would not be permissible under international law since it would effectively render an individual stateless. Between April and June 1994, an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus were killed by extremist Hutu elements of the public and government, including the Hutu militias (Interahamwe) and the armed forces (ex-FAR).