The Government of Rwanda has strongly rejected the latest Human Rights Watch (HRW) report titled “Death Was Everywhere”, which accuses the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) of unlawful detentions, killings, forced recruitment, and abuses.

In its response, Rwanda emphasized that it has no involvement in forced recruitment, torture, killings, or forced labor, dismissing the allegations as baseless. The government also criticized HRW for conflating M23 with RDF, arguing that the conduct attributed to M23 should not be automatically linked to Rwanda’s army.

HRW itself acknowledges that FARDC (DRC’s army) has supported armed groups fighting M23, including the FDLR, a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The report notes Kinshasa’s collaboration with Wazalendo and FDLR, supplying them with weapons and support, which has worsened civilian abuses.

Rwanda argues HRW failed to conduct in-depth investigations into FARDC, FDLR, or Wazalendo, instead focusing disproportionately on Rwanda and M23.

Kigali highlights that HRW’s claims rely heavily on anonymous testimonies, some collected from individuals in FARDC custody, raising doubts about credibility.

Rwanda criticized HRW’s call for sanctions based on unverified testimonies, saying no court would rely on such evidence.

Rwanda insists the FDLR remains the central problem, having destabilized the region for over 30 years. Ignoring its role and the support it receives from Congolese authorities, Rwanda argues, is to overlook the true source of insecurity in eastern DRC.

Kigali reaffirmed that the Washington peace agreement signed in 2025 is the only viable path to lasting peace, through regional cooperation, security, justice, and dialogue. Rwanda pledged to continue safeguarding its security while supporting regional solutions rooted in partnership and negotiation.