Press Freedom

Rwanda has climbed 13 places in the latest world press freedom ranking. This is in a survey conducted and released by reporters without borders.

Rwanda was previously ranked 169 but is now at number 156 out of 179 countries. Namibia is the best ranked African country tied at number 20 with Belgium.

However Rwanda still remains grouped among countries where the press still faces a difficult situation

World press freedom index 2012 ranks Finland and Norway at the number one position, Estonia and Netherlands follow at the third position while Austria is at number five in having a free press.

Human rights watch also in its latest report indicated draft revisions of the laws on genocide ideology and media in Rwanda contained some positive amendments

Recently the civil society platform called for the draft law on access to information to be revised to clearly point out classified information that is in national interest

This as they petitioned the Political and Gender Affairs committee in the lower chamber of deputies especially on article 5 and 6 of the draft law

Karanganwa Frederic an officer in charge of policy with the civil society platform said the draft law must ensure that information of public nature is not denied to the people

The director of communication in the Prime Ministers office Ignatius Kabagambe on his part reiterated that the draft access to information law once passed will give journalists, all rights to access public information

Kabagambe added that he is confident that with the law; grievances on difficulties in accessing information from government officials will be addressed.