WEA report says Rwanda’s church laws fail human rights standards as most closed churches were Pentecostal

The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has concluded that Rwanda’s current religious regulations do not meet international human rights standards. In its submission to the Universal Periodic Review on July 16, the WEA urged the government to reconsider the 2018 law on Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs), its 2025 amendment and related guidelines. The WEA argues that the law contravenes Rwanda’s constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion or beliefs and freedom of association. The report also says the law conflicts with several international instruments Rwanda has signed, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The 2018 law, titled “Determining the Organisation and Functioning of Faith-based Organisations,” required churches to register with the state, required pastors to hold mandatory theological degrees, and required buildings to be restructured to be sound-proofed and to include a parking lot. Religious organisations were given five years to comply. When the grace period ended, the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), working with local authorities, enforced the regulations.

In July and August 2024, the board inspected more than 13,000 places of worship and closed approximately 7,700 churches for non-compliance with various regulations. Figures from other sources put the number of closures higher, with nearly 10,000 churches closed in late July and early August and more than 8,000 closed by the end of August. The government estimates that around 70 percent of churches were shut down for non-compliance. The WEA report notes that many affected churches had minor infractions that could have been corrected, and that most of those affected were Pentecostal churches.

The WEA considers some of the regulations incompatible with international human rights standards and others impractical and an overreach by the state. It argues that it is the religion’s responsibility, not the state’s, to set qualifications for clergy. An elder from the Association of Pentecostal Churches in Rwanda, quoted by Religious News, said: “It’s God who calls people to serve him, and not the level of education or intelligence someone has.” The report also states that FBOs face significantly higher standards than non-governmental organisations under separate legislation. NGOs, it notes, are not required to have legal representatives with university degrees or to own a building, only a legal address. Concerns have also been raised about frequent changes to building requirements that make previously compliant structures non-compliant, and about the lack of flexibility for existing buildings that cannot change their size or parking to meet new rules.

The WEA report criticises the enforcement method itself. It states that “the enforcement mechanism of closing churches and houses of prayer for violations of health and safety standards is draconian unless the building is completely unsafe,” and suggests that the RGB “could instead issue a violation notice and give the church a period of time for compliance,” and clarify standards that are amended from time to time (Proverbs 11:1). The law prohibits unregistered religious activities, including worship in homes, and congregants have expressed fear of arrest. A woman whose Pentecostal church was closed said, “We are compelled to hold our services in secret and in silence” because of “fear of arrest.” Another elder said, “The closures have left us with no option but to gather in our houses and worship secretly.”

New regulations introduced in March 2025 further tightened government control over FBOs. The RGB now requires that congregations meet only in a house of worship used exclusively for that purpose, which the WEA says effectively makes open-air crusades and door-to-door evangelism illegal. The WEA links this rule to President Kagame’s view that rogue pastors are “exploiting poor Rwandans to enrich themselves,” but argues that the law applies to all churches, not only to such pastors. The WEA states that the measure “certainly does not meet the standard of the least restrictive means” and notes that fraud is already a criminal offence under the Rwanda Penal Code. Further rules require pastors to complete at least 1,200 hours of training in religious practice, set a non-refundable service fee of Rwf 2,000,000 (about $1,500 USD) for legal personality applications, and require new organisations to have 1,000 founding members.

In June 2025, the RGB issued guidelines on “Religious Preaching that Aligns with Rwandan Values.” While the guidelines promote values such as peace and national identity, they also prohibit “misleading teachings, false or end-times prophecies or miracles.” The WEA argues that this allows the state to determine which religious beliefs and practices are legitimate, in violation of international human rights law, and raises concerns that criticism of the government could be deemed illegal.

Open Doors, an organisation that serves persecuted Christians worldwide, describes “dictatorial paranoia” as a dominant driver of persecution in Rwanda. It says the government exerts significant control over religious institutions and practices, including monitoring church activities, infiltrating gatherings, tracking communications and interfering in the selection of religious leaders. Open Doors reports that Rwanda’s persecution score for Christians rose from 42 points in 2021 to 58 points in 2025 on its World Watch List, ranking the country 64th globally. It says the “Church sphere” has seen a “drastic impact,” with church closures and difficulty obtaining or renewing licenses making the establishment of new churches “practically impossible.”

Source: Read the original report