Twitter war shines light on how Rwanda intimidates press
By Tom Rhodes/CPJ East Africa Representative
“@RFI speak straight up English, frenchie!! U crying? U started not to make sense,” was one taunting tweet from a certain prolific Twitter account belonging to “Richard Goldston.” The account, since deleted, belonging to a self-proclaimed “anti-imperialist,” repeatedly antagonized Radio France Internationale journalist Sonia Rolley for her critical coverage of the deaths of Rwandan government officials-turned-dissidents.
When Rolley tweeted about the killing of former Rwandan spy chief Col. Patrick Karegeya in South Africa in January, indicating her suspicion of Rwandan government involvement, several Rwandan Twitter accounts, including that of “Goldston,” tried to discredit Rolley, claiming (without evidence) that she was romantically linked to the former spy chief. “Goldston" routinely criticized the South African government, even referring to President Jacob Zuma as "a black retard” as relations soured. The South African government recently expelled Rwandan diplomats on suspicion of attempted assassination of another former top Rwandan official-turned-dissident, Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa.