Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Nearly two million Rwandans use internet and the number keeps growing, according to the fift Population and Housing Census conducted in 2022<\/p>\nAlso, a 2020 report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) showed that internet users in Rwanda spend 7.1 per cent of their average income on mobile data.<\/p>\n
However, as the uptake keeps increasing, there are a number of practices that can get any user in trouble with the laws but can be avoided.<\/p>\n
Here are some of the online practices that, according to the 2018 Law on prevention and punishment of cybercrimes, can attract punishment.<\/p>\n
1. Taking pictures, videos without consent and displaying them in bad faith<\/p>\n
Article 35 of the law says that any person who intentionally uses a computer or a computer system to harass or threaten with the intent to place another person in distress or fear through displaying, distributing or publishing indecent documents, sounds, pictures or videos commits a crime.<\/p>\n
In addition, if a person takes pictures, videos or sounds in bad faith and without consent or knowledge of those who are being photographed or recorded, and displays or distributes information in a manner that substantially increases the risk of harm or violence to any other person; commits an offence.<\/p>\n
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to an imprisonment term that is not more than two years and a fine that can amount to Rwf2 million.<\/p>\n
The prosecution of offenses under the article are instituted only upon complaint of the offended person.<\/p>\n
2. Publishing indecent information<\/p>\n
Publishing indecent information in electronic form is also something that can put you in trouble and can attract imprisonment for a term that can reach up to two years and a fine that can amount to Rwf2 million upon conviction.<\/p>\n
According to Innocent Muramira, a Kigali-based lawyer, indecent messages may relate to erotic messages, or very offensive communications that may cause harm to children or even adults.<\/p>\n
Such messages, according to Muramira can include those that encourage people commit suicide.<\/p>\n
When the indecent message is not true or is directed against a child, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term that is between three to five years, and a fine that can reach to Rwf3 million.<\/p>\n
3. Publication of rumours<\/p>\n
\u201cAny person who, knowingly and through a computer or a computer system, publishes rumours that may incite fear, insurrection or violence amongst the population or that may make a person lose their credibility, commits an offence,\u201d article 39 of the law says.<\/p>\n
Upon conviction, the offender faces a jail term that ranges between three years to five years and a fine between Rwf1 million and 3million.<\/p>\n
4. Impersonation<\/p>\n
Intentionally using somebody else\u2019s identity over the internet in bad faith to profit, mislead or destroy their reputation can attract a punishment of imprisonment for a term of not less than three years and not more than five years upon conviction.<\/p>\n
This offence is punished with a jail term between three and five years and a fine that may amount to Rwf3 million.<\/p>\n
5. Phishing and spamming<\/p>\n
A person who establishes and uses a website or sends electronic messages using a computer or a computer system in order to have access to confidential information from a visitor of the website or recipient of the message with intent to use them for unlawful purposes, especially for the purpose of stealing money or obtaining access to a computer or a computer system, commits an offence, the law says in its 36th article.<\/p>\n
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to imprisonment for a term that ranges between one to two years, and a fine between Rwf1 million and Rwf3 million.<\/p>\n
In addition to this, a person who intentionally and without authorisation from a competent organ, sends unsolicited messages repeatedly to a person or to a large number of persons and retransmits such to many people who don\u2019t need it, commits an offence.<\/p>\n
Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a term of imprisonment between three to six months and a fine that may amount to Rwf5 million.<\/p>\n
The prosecution of offenses in the law are mostly instituted only upon complaint of the offended person.<\/p>\n
For More News And Analysis About Rwanda<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hudson Kuteesa Africa-Press – Rwanda. Nearly two million Rwandans use internet and the number keeps growing, according to the fift Population and Housing Census conducted in 2022 Also, a 2020 report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) showed that internet users in Rwanda spend 7.1 per cent of their average income on mobile data. However, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":49179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,14],"tags":[760,763,758],"class_list":["post-49180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-rwanda","tag-rwanda"],"yoast_head":"\n
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