Date: 1 September 2026

To: The Government of the Republic of Rwanda, Rwanda National Police, relevant government institutions and lawmakers.

SUBJECT: A CALL FOR CLEAR, EQUAL AND PROPORTIONATE ENFORCEMENT OF PUBLIC-DECENCY RULES
We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Rwanda, respectfully call for greater clarity, transparency and proportionality in the interpretation and enforcement of public-decency rules, particularly where they affect adult women.

We recognize the Government's responsibility to protect public order, children, cultural values and the dignity of citizens. We also recognize that laws are necessary in a functioning society.

However, a moral judgment and a criminal offence are not automatically the same thing. A person may consider another adult's clothing inappropriate without that personal or cultural judgment necessarily becoming a justification for arrest or criminal punishment.

When the State restricts an adult's freedom, citizens deserve to understand what is prohibited, why it is prohibited, what legal authority permits intervention, and what limits exist on that authority.

RECENT EVENTS
30 July 2022: Following the TayC concert at BK Arena, Liliane Mugabekazi became the subject of a public-indecency case concerning her clothing.

7 August 2022: She was arrested.

18 August 2022: She appeared before Kicukiro Primary Court under Article 143 of the law concerning public indecency. The case generated significant national discussion about clothing, morality and criminal law.

29 August 2026: Following the Diamond Platnumz concert in Kigali, reports emerged that some women were prevented from entering because their clothing was considered inappropriate. The incidents renewed public debate about dress standards and their enforcement.

Around 30 August 2026: Video footage circulated showing police officers apprehending a young woman over her clothing. Rwanda National Police subsequently reported that officers involved had been detained and that the woman had been cleared and released.

We welcome accountability when individual officers act improperly. However, disciplining individual officers does not completely answer the broader question: what law, policy or instruction led to the intervention in the first place?

OUR CONCERNS
We therefore ask:

What precisely constitutes "indecent" clothing or conduct under Rwandan law?
Does clothing alone constitute a criminal offence?
What legal authority allows police to detain or arrest someone because of their clothing?
Are these standards applied equally to men and women?
Are citizens informed clearly about dress requirements before attending public events?
Is criminal punishment proportionate where the alleged conduct concerns clothing alone?
What safeguards prevent an individual officer's personal interpretation of "indecency" from becoming grounds for arbitrary enforcement?
Rwanda has made remarkable progress in women's political participation and equality. Women hold a majority of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, and equality between men and women is recognized among Rwanda's fundamental principles.

We believe that protecting women's dignity should also mean recognizing adult women as capable citizens who can make personal decisions for themselves.

This does not mean that every form of clothing must be considered appropriate, nor that the Government has no authority to establish public standards.

It means that government power should be justified, clearly defined, proportionate and equally applied.

WE THEREFORE CALL UPON THE AUTHORITIES TO:
Clearly define what constitutes public indecency, particularly concerning clothing.
Publish the legal basis and enforcement procedures governing police intervention over dress.
Ensure equal enforcement regardless of sex or gender.
Ensure respectful and proportionate enforcement, with no unnecessary humiliation or excessive use of force.
Require public events to communicate dress requirements clearly in advance, distinguishing private venue rules from criminal law.
Open a public dialogue involving government, women, young people, legal experts, cultural leaders and civil society about the balance between cultural values, individual freedom, equality and public order.
CONCLUSION
We are not asking Rwanda to abandon its culture, values or legitimate public-decency standards.

We are asking for clarity, accountability and proportionality.

A citizen should be able to understand the law before being punished by it. A police officer should have clear limits on their authority. And an adult should not lose their dignity simply because another person considers their clothing inappropriate.

We support a Rwanda where culture is respected, women and men are treated equally, citizens understand the laws that govern them, and government authority is exercised with fairness, dignity and transparency.

If you support these requests, please sign and share this petition.

Date: ______________________________