Aimable Karasira, a Rwandan academic and government critic, died in custody on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, after taking an overdose of his prescribed medication, according to Rwandan authorities. Human Rights Watch has questioned this account and urged the international community to pay attention, calling for an independent probe into the circumstances of his death.

Karasira was arrested in 2021 and charged with several crimes relating to genocide denial and sowing division. He was convicted of some offenses and acquitted of others, but his sentence was nearing its end, and he was set to be released on May 6.

Human Rights Watch has documented Karasira's case, including the pressure he faced from intelligence officials and threats from others. The group's Clémentine de Montjoye said there are many reasons to question the circumstances surrounding Karasira's death, given his years of harassment and persecution at the hands of the authorities.

The Rwandan government, led by President Paul Kagame, has been accused of crushing dissent and stamping out opposition. Karasira's death has sparked concerns about the treatment of government critics in Rwanda. The government has imposed a tough penal code to punish genocide and outlaw the ideology behind it, but critics argue that this has been used to silence opponents.

The immediate next steps will involve a response from the Rwandan government to the calls for an independent investigation into Karasira's death. Human Rights Watch will continue to monitor the situation and push for accountability.