Rwanda questions United Nations over terminated mission

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda

President Paul Kagame of Rwandae

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda

The Rwandan Government on Monday called on the UN Sub-committee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) to make public the impediments that the committee claims compromised its mission to Rwanda.

“The treaty body in the UN human rights system abruptly terminated the mission and turned to the media before discussing with the Rwandan Government,’’ the Rwandan Ministry of Justice said in a statement.

The ministry said that the committee violated its own guidelines as well as the pre-agreed schedule of the visit.

SPT said on Friday it had suspended its visit to Rwanda due to a series of obstructions imposed by authorities.

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According to the Minister of Justice and Attorney- General, Johnston Busingye, Rwanda considers the termination an act of bad faith.

Busingye said the committee conducted field visits for five days to institutions, including prisons, police stations, transit centres, and a psychiatric hospital, interviewing staff, inmates, and patients.

He said that any technical issues that arose during field visits were immediately resolved.

“Rwanda voluntarily ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, part of the minority of states-parties to have done so.

“The SPT exists to reinforce national institutions, not replace them,’’ the statement said.

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