Belgian journalist denied entry to Rwanda for World Cycling Championships
Belgian journalist Stijn Vercruysse, from Flemish public broadcaster VRT, has been denied entry to Rwanda to report on the World Cycling Championships. The journalist was stopped at the check-in desk at Brussels Airport, VRT NWS reported on its website on Friday. He believes that his critical reporting on Rwanda in the past is the reason for this.
Vercruysse was due to travel to Rwanda on Thursday to report for various VRT NWS media outlets. He had obtained accreditation from the Rwandan ministry of sport via the UCI, the international cycling union, with approval to travel to Rwanda.
“The Rwandan government has forbidden the airline from letting me board the plane,” the journalist stated. The official reason is unclear, but “it is probably related to my critical reporting on Rwanda in the past,” he added. “We were again planning to report critically on the host country, which is ultimately a very authoritarian regime.”
"We were again planning to report critically on the host country, which is ultimately a very authoritarian regime"
“We have asked the Rwandan government for further explanation and are in consultation with the International Cycling Union (UCI) and the Belgian foreign affairs ministry,” declared Stijn Verhaaren, editor-in-chief of VRT NWS 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.”
Foreign minister Maxime Prévot has contacted the Rwandan authorities, but the foreign affairs ministry does not yet have any additional explanation. "As Rwanda is the host country for this international sporting event and is also hosting the Belgian cycling team, this entails special responsibilities. However, we are waiting for further clarification before commenting on the substance of the matter,” the foreign affairs ministry added.
This is not the first time that a VRT journalist has been banned from Rwanda. Former colleague Peter Verlinden has not been allowed to enter the country for years. “I suspect I am now also on the blacklist," Vercruysse stated.
Rwanda scores particularly poorly on the World Press Freedom Index, a measure of press freedom around the world. The country ranks 146th, two places lower than last year.
The Tour du Rwanda of 2024 © PHOTO Guillem Sartorio / AFP
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