KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Right to protection from brutality

As a human being, you are bound to make mistakes. If your mistake directly affects another person, they may be provoked to hurt you physically, especially if they are stronger than you are. You may also be tempted to beat up your friend when he/she wrongs you. However, according to article 152 of the penal code, it is not lawful and in fact it is punishable to cause bodily harm, especially to children or persons who are unable to defend themselves. Article 152 states: “Any person who intentionally inflicts battery or bodily injuries on a child or a person who is unable to defend him/herself due to his/her physical or mental state or old age, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of one (1) year to three (3) years and a fine of one hundred thousand (100,000) to five hundred thousand (500,000) Rwandan francs.” And if you or the angered person takes time to plan and later exert the kind of revenge that results in bodily harm, the offense is even higher. Paragraph two of article 152 of the penal code says, “If the offender commits battery and bodily injuries with premeditation or ambush which result in illness or permanent incapacity to work for a period of more than one month, he/she shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of more than five (5) years to seven (7) years and a fine of one million (1,000,000) to three million (3,000,000) Rwandan francs.” At the same time, if your parents, guardians or anyone in authority punishes you, it is not legal for them to you in a way that makes you suffer. Article 218, paragraph one of the penal states that any person who inflicts severe suffering on a child, harasses or imposes severe or degrading punishments on him/her shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of six (6) months to two (2) years and a fine of one hundred thousand (100,000) to three hundred thousand (300,000) Rwandan francs. Paragraph two of article 218 continues to state: “If one of the offences under paragraph one of this article results in the child’s disability, the penalty shall be a term of imprisonment of more than five (5) years to seven (7) years and a fine of five hundred thousand(500,000) to one million (1,000,000) Rwandan francs. If the offence results in the death of the child, the penalty shall be life imprisonment.”

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KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Right to protection from brutality