A Rwandan court on Wednesday acquitted three journalists who had been detained for four years on charges of spreading false information with the intention of inciting violence and tarnishing the country's image.
Rights groups say Rwanda is among the countries in sub-Saharan Africa that has the worst record for jailing journalists, and accuse the government of using authoritarian means to stifle dissent.Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comJean Damascène Mutuyimana, Niyodusenga Schadrack and Jean Baptiste Nshimiyimana, reporters with the YouTube channel Iwacu TV, were arrested in October 2018 for, authorities said at the time, causing unrest and spreading rumours.
"There is no evidence to prove that their publication incited violence," said Speciose Nyirabagande, one the court's three judges.
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