Human Rights Watch Should Know that Victims ’ Rights Are Human Rights
Alphonse Muleefu
Human Rights Watch has betrayed its professed mandate .
The September [ 2021 ] conviction and 25-year sentence of critic and political opponent Paul Rusesabagina on charges including murder and membership in a terrorist group after a flawed trial was emblematic of the government ’ s overreach and the manipulation of the justice . This is a statement in the Human Rights Watch ’ s summary of 2021 events in Rwanda . The use of “ emblematic ” suggests that , in the view of Human Rights Watch ( HRW ), the case of Paul Rusesabagina in relation to other alleged abuses is the most serious human rights violation representing Rwanda ’ s unfairness . If this HRW meant this literally , then it is very easy to defend Rwanda ’ s human rights record , and here is why .
There are three indisputable facts about Paul Rusesabagina ’ s case : first , that between 2018 and 2019 , 9 civilians were mercilessly murdered , and people ’ s property destroyed by the National Liberation Front ( FLN , French acronym ); second , that Paul Rusesabagina is one of the leaders and founders of the FLN , a fact he freely and openly acknowledged in court ; and third , that it is on record that Rusesabagina openly called people to join the group .
Keeping these three indubitable facts in mind , justice is – and should be – about balancing conflicting interests , and in this case , it is about balancing the rights of
Photo from Flickr
the suspects , those of the government to meet its constitutional obligation of providing security to the people , and those of the victims to receive justice . An objective analysis should not dismiss or ignore these competing rights .
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