Editing Telecommunications in Rwanda (section)

===Internet censorship and surveillance===
{{See also|Human rights in Rwanda}}

Rwanda was rated "partly free" in ''Freedom on the Net 2013'' by [[Freedom House]] with a score of 48, somewhat past the midway point between the end of the range for "free" (30) and the start of the range for "not free" (60).<ref name=FOTN-Rwanda-2013>[http://www.freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/resources/FOTN%202013_Rwanda.pdf "Country Report: Rwanda"], ''Freedom on the Net 2013'', Freedom House, 30 September 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2014.</ref>

The law does not provide for government restrictions on access to the Internet, but there are reports that the government blocks access to Web sites within the country that are critical of the government.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Rwanda-2012>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/index.htm?year=2012&dlid=204156 "Rwanda"], ''Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012'', Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, 2 April 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2014.</ref>

In 2012 and 2013, some independent online news outlets and opposition blogs were intermittently inaccessible. It is uncertain whether the disruptions are due to government blocking, as was the case in past years, or to technical issues. Some opposition sites continue to be blocked on some ISPs in early 2013, including Umusingi and Inyenyeri News, which were first blocked in 2011. [[Social-networking]] sites such as [[YouTube]], [[Facebook]], [[Twitter]], and international [[blog hosting service]]s are freely available.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Rwanda-2012/>

The websites of international human rights organizations such as [[Freedom House]], [[Amnesty International]], and [[Human Rights Watch]], as well as the online versions of media outlets such as the [[BBC]], [[Le Monde]], [[Radio France Internationale]], ''[[The New York Times]]'', and many others are freely accessible. Websites of national news outlets are also easily accessible. These include the web versions of state-run media and pro-government outlets as well as independent outlets such as The Rwanda Focus, Rushyashya, The Chronicles, Umusanzu, and Rwanda Dispatch.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Rwanda-2012/>

The constitution provides for [[freedom of speech]] and [[freedom of the press|press]] "in conditions prescribed by the law." The government at times restricts these rights. The government intimidates and arrests journalists who express views that are deemed critical on sensitive topics. Laws prohibit promoting divisionism, genocide ideology, and genocide denial, "spreading rumors aimed at inciting the population to rise against the regime", expressing contempt for the Head of State, other high-level public officials, administrative authorities or other public servants, and slander of foreign and international officials and dignitaries. These acts or expression of these viewpoints sometimes results in arrest, harassment, or intimidation. Numerous journalists practice [[self-censorship]].<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Rwanda-2012/>

In June 2011 a court convicted journalist Jean Bosco Gasasira in absentia of displaying contempt for the head of state and incitement to civil disobedience for his writings in the online publication Umuvugizi and sentenced him to two and a half years in prison.<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Rwanda-2012/>

The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary interference with privacy, family, home, or correspondence; however, there are numerous reports the government monitors homes, telephone calls, [[e-mail]], Internet [[chat rooms]], other private communications, movements, and personal and institutional data. In some cases monitoring has led to detention and interrogation by State security forces (SSF).<ref name=USDOS-CRHRP-Rwanda-2012/>