Emmanuel Ugirashebuja, the Minister of Justice, has disclosed that Rwanda Correctional Services (RCS) intends to implement electronic visits in the near future.
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) held its third leadership retreat on Thursday, June 29, in Nyamata, which is located in the Bugesera area. During the conference, the announcement was made.
This technology breakthrough aims to change the traditional jail system by providing virtual visitations, which will allow inmates to communicate with their loved ones through digital platforms and provide them with the opportunity to see them more frequently.
Although precise operational information was not released, Minister Ugirashebuja assured that the RCS is actively working on the construction of this system. This is despite the fact that specific operational specifics were not disclosed.
Examples of e-visits conducted in other nations illustrate the steps involved in the procedure. For instance, in Sri Lanka, tourists who wish to apply for online visits must first have their identities registered in order to be considered.
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The registration process
The provision of a copy of the individual’s national ID or any other official identity document is necessary to complete the registration process. After registering, visitors can use their one-of-a-kind registration number to reserve a visitation time slot; however, this number must first be validated by a corrections officer before the visitation can take place.
It is only authorised for one member of the inmate’s family to register on their behalf, and it is highly forbidden to share the inmate’s registration number with anyone else. Doing so can result in the suspension of visitation privileges.
How video calls would be conducted
During video calls, the registered individual is required to appear, but the inmate may allow others to participate with their permission. In order to maintain safety, correctional personnel listen in on inmates’ video chats and cut off any talk that they deem to be inappropriate or dangerous as soon as they become aware of it. In these kinds of situations, the e-visit service is put on hold for the time being.
Officials from RCS have emphasised that the implementation of e-visits is still a work in progress that may be susceptible to alterations in the future. After the system has been reviewed and authorised, we will provide in-depth explanations.
The introduction of e-visits is a big step forward for Rwanda’s judicial system, which comes at a time when the country is making concerted efforts to improve the health of incarcerated individuals and make it easier for them to rejoin society after serving their sentences.
Remarks from Rwanda’s Minister of Justice
Ugirashebuja emphasized that this was a component of the modernization of the policies regarding the administration of criminal justice, stating that “We are considering the implementation of e-visits in prisons, where inmates will be able to connect, see, and communicate with their family and friends through video platforms, eliminating the need for face-to-face visits.”
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About Rwanda’s prisons
RCS runs a total of thirteen (13) correctional facilities, including eight exclusively male facilities (Rwamagana, Bugesera, Nyanza, Huye, Rusizi, Rubavu Muhanga, and Gicumbi), two exclusively female facilities (Ngoma and Nyamagabe), two mixed facilities (Nyarugenge and Musanze), and one exclusively juvenile facility.
According to the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research, Rwanda’s prisons are currently at 174% of their capacity, making them the second most overcrowded in the world. Rwanda also has the second highest incarceration population rate (that is, the number of inmates per 100,000 of the national population) outside of the United States.
The practice of executing criminals by hanging was outlawed in Rwanda, the first country in the African Great Lakes region to do so. In addition, Rwanda became the 100th country in the world to do away with the use of the death penalty. Human rights organizations have voiced their satisfaction with Rwanda’s decision to do away with the death penalty.
