SOCIAL
Rwanda YouTuber alleges prison torture, HRW says
Several people have fallen foul of Rwandan authorities after turning to YouTube to publish content critical of the Kagame government, raising concern among rights groups – Copyright AFP Sahel ARMAN
A prominent Rwandan YouTuber has accused prison guards of torturing him, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Monday as it urged leaders attending an upcoming Commonwealth summit in Kigali to pressure the government to free critics.
The East African country, ruled by President Paul Kagame since the end of the 1994 genocide, has often come under fire for rights abuses and for misusing laws to round up critics.
Aimable Karasira, 41, a former university lecturer turned YouTuber, was arrested over a year ago and is on trial for alleged genocide denial, a charge which could see him jailed for more than a decade if he is found guilty.
At a court hearing last month, Karasira reportedly said the authorities at Nyarugenge prison had been subjecting him to severe sleep deprivation and beatings and denying him treatment for health conditions including diabetes.
“I’ve gone for days without sleeping. I don’t know how to explain the torture I have been subjected to,” he told the court, according to a statement by HRW, which obtained transcripts of the hearings.
“They beat us to make us come to court… They torture us by playing loud music and never turning off the lights. It’s terrible torture, like in the movies.”
“The prison staff tell us they will kill us after CHOGM,” he added, referring to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) due to be held in Kigali next week.
There was no immediate response from the Rwandan government to an AFP request for comment.
Campaigners have called on those attending the Commonwealth meeting to pile pressure on Rwanda to improve its grim human rights record.
“Just a few kilometres (miles) away from the Kigali Convention Center, where Commonwealth government leaders will be discussing good governance, jailed Rwandan journalists and critics are brutally being reduced to silence,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at HRW.
“The victims of abuse will be abandoned by the Commonwealth if it fails to speak out about the human rights situation in Rwanda.”
– ‘Grave concern’ –
“At least 2 journalists, 3 commentators, and 16 opposition activists are currently behind bars in Rwanda,” HRW said.
Several people have fallen foul of the Rwandan authorities after turning to YouTube to publish content critical of the Kagame government.
Dieudonne Niyonsenga, better known by his YouTube persona Cyuma (“Iron”), was sentenced to seven years in prison last November after being found guilty of forgery and impersonation.
His jailing came weeks after another YouTube star, Yvonne Idamange, was jailed for 15 years for inciting violence online.
On Friday, 23 groups including HRW and Amnesty International released a joint statement expressing their “grave concern” about the human rights situation in Rwanda ahead of the Commonwealth meeting.
The biennial event had originally been scheduled in 2020 before it was pushed back twice because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Commonwealth is made up mainly of former British colonies comprising 54 countries and 2.4 billion people.
SOCIAL
Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?
In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.
The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.
According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.
Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.
Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.
The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.
This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.
Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.
As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?
Only time will tell.
SOCIAL
Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach
While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.
When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.
“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.
Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.
“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.”Â
“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.
“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.
Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.
SOCIAL
Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement
Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.
As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.
That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.
Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.
That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.
Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.
Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.
We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.
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