Belgian journalist barred from Rwanda Worlds in 'mockery of press freedom'
A Belgian journalist has been prevented from entering Rwanda to report on the UCI World Championships, which get under way in Kigali on Sunday
Stijn Vercruysse, from Flemish public broadcaster VRT, has revealed that he was stopped at the check-in desk at Brussels airport ahead of his planned flight to Rwanda on Thursday morning.
Although no official reason was given for the travel ban, Vercruysse believes it is related to his work as a current affairs journalist. He recently reported from the Congo to report on advance of the M23 rebels, who are supported by Rwanda.
“The Rwandan government has forbidden the airline from letting me board the plane,” Vercruysse told VRT. “It is probably related to my critical reporting on Rwanda in the past.
“We were planning to report critically on the host country, which ultimately has a very authoritarian regime. We were going to tell the truth through nuanced reporting on the sidelines of the World Championships. That won’t be possible now, and that perhaps says something about the authoritarian nature of the regime in Rwanda.”
Vercruysse had obtained accreditation for the World Championships, including approval to travel to Rwanda, from the Rwandan ministry of sport via the UCI.
Editor-in-chief of VRT’s foreign affairs coverage Stijn Verhaaren said that the station has been consulting with both the UCI and the Belgian Department of Foreign Affairs.
“Despite this incident, VRT NWS will continue to report critically on the host country in the coming weeks, in addition to our coverage of the World Cycling Championships,” he said.
The Flemish Association of Journalists VVJ called the ban on Vercruysse a “mockery of press freedom,” adding that “sports reporting is inseparable from critical interpretation of the context in which it takes place.”
The Belgian Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it has sought an explanation from authorities in Rwanda. “We are waiting for further clarification before commenting on the substance of the matter,” said a spokesperson.
The barring of a journalist from entering Rwanda raises uncomfortable questions about the UCI’s decision to award the World Championships to a country with severe restrictions on civil rights and freedom of expression.
An Amnesty International report for 2024-25 indicated that there was evidence of torture and enforced disappearance of dissidents in Rwanda, and the country is currently ranked 146th in the World Press Freedom Index.
Paul Kagame has been president of Rwanda since 2000, and a decade ago, he scrapped term limits on the presidency. In July 2024, Kagame was elected president for a fourth term with 99.17% of the vote, though opposition leaders Victoire Ingabire and Bernard Ntaganda were prevented from running in the election.
