Rwandan YouTuber Jailed for Criticizing the GOVT
Rwandan Youtuber Dieudonne Niyonsenge has been slapped with seven years jail term after he was accused of criticizing the Government on his ‘Cyuma’ Channel where he is always discussing human rights issues.
Christine Juma 
The vlogger was sent to seven years in prison by a Kigali court after he was found guilty of impersonation, forgery, and humiliating state officials.
His lawyer Gatera Gashabana condemned the act stating that it is unacceptable.
“We are appealing this verdict against Niyonsenga with immediate effect. It is simply not right,” his lawyer Gatera Gashabana said on Friday.
Ishema TV, Niyonsenga's YouTube channel, garnered roughly 15 million views.A Punishment of five million Rwandan francs ($4,900) was also imposed on him.
“The court finds that the crimes Niyonsenga is accused of were committed intentionally,” the judge said while delivering the verdict.
“Due to the adverse consequences that his crimes have had on Rwandan society, the court orders that Dieudonne Niyonsenga be immediately arrested and taken to serve his jail sentence.”
However, the accused Niyonsenga was not in court during the sentencing, but he reported that the police had surrounded his home thereafter.
Niyonsenga posted many recordings in April 2020 criticizing the police for how they handled slum inhabitants while implementing severe Covid-19 restrictions.
Before being transported to prison, he was detained and charged for violating lockdown measures and impersonating a journalist. He was acquitted and released 11 months later, but the prosecution attempted to have his release overturned in a higher court, where he was sentenced this week.
