Man beaten by Rwanda police in curfew time dies

BBC

A Rwandan man has died in hospital after being badly assaulted by a police officer who was enforcing a night-time curfew on the outskirts of the capital, Kigali, according to a member of his family.

Flavien Ngaboyamahina, who would have turned 30 tomorrow, had visited a friend in Karenge, east of Kigali.

They were both arrested on 1^st August for being outdoors after 9pm curfew, according to the family member who spoke on condition of anonymity. Mr Ngaboyamahina died in hospital three days later.

Yesterday, Rwandan police spokesperson John Bosco Kabera told the BBC he would comment later.

Rwanda was recently praised by World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus as among countries that are doing well in managing the coronavirus pandemic.

Opposition groups in Rwanda have condemned what they say is the violation of human rights and the use of excessive force by security officers while enforcing Covid-19 restrictions.

In the last two weeks of July, nearly 60,000 people were punished for either not wearing face masks, breaching the curfew or not observing social distancing.

Most of the offenders were arrested and taken to stadiums or school buildings where they were forced to sit all night or day.