Rwanda
Freedom at a Glance
Global Freedom
21 / 100
Not Free
Internet Freedom
34 / 100
Not Free
The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), led by President Paul Kagame, has ruled the country since it ousted forces responsible for the 1994 genocide, ending the civil war that began in 1990. While the regime has maintained stability and economic growth, it has also suppressed political dissent through pervasive surveillance, intimidation, arbitrary detention, torture, and renditions or suspected assassinations of exiled dissidents.
Research & Recommendations
Rwanda
Not Free
21
100
| PR Political Rights | 7 40 |
| CL Civil Liberties | 14 60 |
Last Year's Score & Status
23
100
Not Free
A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60.
See the methodology.
Overview
The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), led by President Paul Kagame, has ruled the country since it ousted forces responsible for the 1994 genocide, ending the civil war that began in 1990. While the regime has maintained stability and economic growth, the government continues to suppress political dissent through pervasive surveillance, intimidation, arbitrary detention, torture, and renditions or suspected assassinations of exiled dissidents.
Freedom in the World 2025 Policy Recommendations
Prioritize strengthening the rule of law and delivering economic dividends in the aftermath of political transitions
In countries where democratic forces have come to power after periods of antidemocratic rule, the new governments should pursue an agenda that protects and expands freedoms even as it delivers tangible economic and social benefits to citizens.
In countries emerging from war or the collapse of authoritarian regimes, focus on safety, reconciliation, reform
These countries must act swiftly to release all political prisoners, build or revitalize democratic institutions, reform police and other security forces, organize and hold competitive multiparty elections, and ensure accountability for past human rights violations.
Bolster checks and balances to mitigate the threat of democratic backsliding
In countries where there has been significant erosion of political rights and civil liberties, policymakers, legislators, jurists, civic activists, and donor communities should work to strengthen institutional guardrails and norms that serve to constrain elected leaders with antidemocratic or illiberal aims.
Rwanda
Not Free
34
100
| A Obstacles to Access | 13 25 |
| B Limits on Content | 11 35 |
| C Violations of User Rights | 10 40 |
Last Year's Score & Status
36
100
Not Free
Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free).
See the methodology and report acknowledgements.
Political Overview
The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), led by President Paul Kagame, has ruled the country since it ousted forces responsible for the 1994 genocide, ending the civil war that began in 1990. While the regime has maintained stability and economic growth, the government continues to suppress political dissent through pervasive surveillance, intimidation, arbitrary detention, torture, and renditions or suspected assassinations of exiled dissidents.
Freedom on the Net 2025 Policy Recommendations
Countering Restrictions on Freedom of Expression
Freedom of expression online has been and is increasingly under attack as governments shut off internet connectivity, block social media platforms, and restrict access to websites that host political, social, and religious speech. Protecting freedom of expression will require strong legal and regulatory safeguards for digital communications.
Countering Manipulation of the Online Environment
Governments should encourage a whole-of-society approach to fostering a high-quality, diverse, and trustworthy information space. The Global Declaration on Information Integrity Online identifies best practices for safeguarding the information ecosystem, to which governments should adhere.
Countering Restrictions on Privacy and Disproportionate Government Surveillance
Comprehensive data-protection regulations and industry policies on data protection are essential for upholding privacy and combating disproportionate government surveillance, but they require careful crafting to ensure that they do not contribute to internet fragmentation—the siloing of the global internet into nation-based segments—and cannot be used by governments to undermine privacy and other fundamental freedoms.
Election Watch for the Digital Age equips technology companies, civil society organizations, and policymakers with a data-driven resource for evaluating the human rights impact of internet platforms on a country’s electoral process.
Our Election Vulnerability Index consists of key election-related indicators regarding a country’s political rights and internet freedom. Derived from our annual Freedom in the World and Freedom on the Net reports, the data and accompanying analysis allows users to identify specific areas of concern ahead of a country’s election, including online influence operations, internet shutdowns, or intercommunal tensions fanned by social media.
Previous Reports: 2024
Rwandan transnational repression is exceptionally broad in terms of tactics, targets, and geographic reach. Rwandans abroad experience digital threats, spyware attacks, family intimidation and harassment, mobility controls, physical intimidation, assault, detention, rendition, and assassination. The government has physically targeted Rwandans in at least seven countries since 2014, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Kenya, as well as farther afield in South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Germany. Rwandans as far-flung as the United States, Canada, and Australia report intense fears of surveillance and retribution.
The cases documented by Freedom House represent a small fraction of alleged incidents, but provide a useful window into the extent and methods of the Rwandan government’s campaign, especially when taken into consideration alongside interviews, existing research, and the broader pattern of allegations.
News and Updates
Freedom House Perspectives
News Releases & Media Coverage
Country Facts
Basic Facts
Freedom in the World Score
21
/ 100
Not Free
Freedom on the Net Score
34
/ 100
Not Free
Population: 13,780,000
Internet Facts
Status
Not Free
Networks Restricted
No
Social Media Blocked
No
Websites Blocked
Yes
Pro-government Commentators
Yes
Users Arrested
Yes
Election Facts
Status
Past Election
Date of Election
July 1516, 2024
Type of Election
General
Internet Penetration
30.50%
Election Year
2024
Vulnerability Index
27
/ 100
Transnational Repression
Status
Origin Country
Tactics
Assassination, Rendition, Spyware, Family Intimidation, Digital Threat, Mobility Controls
Targets
Members of the diaspora, especially those that challenge the government politically or question its version of Rwandan history
