The news has sent shockwaves through the Rwandan community and among international observers: Aimable Karasira, a former academic who became a critical voice on YouTube, died in hospital on the day he was due to be released on Thursday.
The Rwandan Prison Service (RCS) announced the death in a press release, citing a “drug overdose.” According to authorities, Mr. Karasira was rushed to the hospital after ingesting a dose of medication exceeding the one prescribed by his doctor. Although the government says it is awaiting a final medical report, the circumstances of his death, occurring precisely on the day of his release from prison, raise serious questions.
From university to digital dissidence
Aimable Karasira was not always an opponent. Initially a professor of information technology at the University… In Rwanda, he first came to public attention in 2011 with the launch of his YouTube channel. Over the years, his posts became increasingly critical of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and President Paul Kagame.
Shortly before his arrest in May 2021, he crossed a red line in the eyes of the authorities: he accused the ruling party of fueling hatred and publicly questioned certain official aspects of the 1994 genocide. Ironically, Karasira was himself a survivor of the genocide against the Tutsi. On September 30, 2025, he was sentenced to five years in prison for “inciting division.”
A tragic series of deaths for critical voices
This death is not an isolated case and recalls other disappearances of critical public figures in detention:
Kizito Mihigo: The famous gospel singer died in February 2020 in a police cell (suicide according to the official version).
Jay Polly: Rapper Joshua Tuyishime died in 2021 in unclear circumstances after his arrest.
Since 2021, the Rwandan government has increased arrests of YouTubers and influencers, making the internet the new battleground for freedom of expression in what some observers describe as a “formidable police state.”
While medical reports are awaited, Aimable Karasira’s death on the day of his release risks increasing international pressure on Kigali regarding the treatment of its prisoners of conscience.
With RTBF
