When authorisation is granted, the Media High Council is informed in order to be able to
monitor their operations. When such organs are authorised to operate, they sign an agreement
with the Minister in charge of information.
TITLE IV: OFFENCES AND PENALTIES CHAPTER ONE: PRESS OFFENCES
Article 73: Press offence
Shall be considered as a press offence, any offence punishable under this Law and the penal
laws, committed by way of print press publications, audiovisual and press using information,
communication and technology or internet.
Article 74: Penalties for not complying with the requirements of starting a newspaper or
a periodical
Any person or press organisation which starts a newspaper or a periodical without complying
with the provisions of Article 24 of this Law shall be liable to a fine ranging from one hundred
thousand (Rwf 100,000) to five hundred thousand Rwandan francs (Rwf 500,000) and to the
suspension of such newspaper until they get authorization. Any person or organisation
launching an audiovisual press enterprise without complying with the provisions of Article 24
of this Law shall be liable to a fine ranging from five hundred thousand ( Rwf 500,000 ) to one
million Rwandan francs (Rwf 1,000,000 ) and to the suspension of such enterprise until they
get authorization.
In the event of recidivism, the court may withdraw definitely t establish a press publication or a
press enterprise.
Article 75: Warning or provisional suspension of a press publication
Any press publication that does not comply with the provisions of Articles 29, 32, 37 and 38 of
this Law shall be warned by the Media High Council. Failure to comply with such warning, the
Media High Council shall suspend a newspaper or periodicals through the following
procedures:
1° one week for a daily publication or a publication published at least three (3) times a week;
2° two (2) weeks for a weekly publication;
3° one month for a bi monthly publication;
4° two (2) months for a monthly publication;
5° one day for an audio or audio visual media
organ which operates daily.
Article 76: Penalties for irregular press publication
An operating media organ which spends some days without operating with any justifications,
may be permanently closed down by the Media High Council in following cases: