Fresh controversy has erupted in Rwanda following the death in custody of government critic Aimable Karasira, with rights groups and opposition figures demanding an independent investigation.
Karasira, a former lecturer at the University of Rwanda, reportedly died on Wednesday from a drug overdose, according to Rwandan authorities.
Confirming the incident, the Rwanda Correctional Service said Karasira was rushed to hospital after allegedly consuming more medication than prescribed by his doctor.
Prisons spokesperson Hillary Sengabo told local media that Karasira overdosed on mental health medication shortly after being released, while still within the prison compound awaiting pickup by family members.
However, Human Rights Watch described the circumstances surrounding his death as suspicious and insisted that the Rwandan government must prove he was not unlawfully killed.
The rights organization stated that Karasira had faced years of harassment and persecution by authorities.
A survivor of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, Karasira had publicly accused the Rwandan Patriotic Army of killing members of his family in the aftermath of the genocide.
In September 2025, the Nyanza High Court Chamber of International and Cross-Border Crimes sentenced him to five years imprisonment on charges bordering on “inciting divisions,although he had already been detained since 2021.
Karasira’s lawyer, Felicien Gashema, said he was shocked by the death, noting that his client appeared cheerful and optimistic when they last met earlier in the week ahead of his planned release.
Political analyst and lawyer Louis Gitinywa also called for an independent inquiry, describing the incident as damaging to the government’s reputation.
Human Rights Watch further accused the Rwandan authorities of repeatedly failing to conduct transparent investigations into the deaths of detainees and high-profile critics in state custody.
The organisation referenced the 2020 death of singer and government critic Kizito Mihigo, who died in a police cell days after his arrest while allegedly attempting to flee the country.
The government at the time ruled Mihigo’s death a suicide.
The latest development is expected to intensify scrutiny of President Paul Kagame’s government over allegations concerning the treatment of opposition voices and critics in the country.
