Re FEMINIST ACTION DEVELOPMENT AMBITION (FADA)

Re FEMINIST ACTION DEVELOPMENT AMBITION (FADA)

The Supreme Court held that Article 143 of Law N° 68/2018, as written, does not violate Articles 13, 15, or 16 of the Constitution because it applies to 'any person' and does not contain language that discriminates based on gender. The Court found that FADA failed to demonstrate a direct causal link between the law...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
RLR V.2-2025
Parties
Applicant: Feminist Action Development Ambition (FADA); Respondent: Republic of Rwanda
Court
Supreme Court
Jurisdiction
Rwanda
Judgment Date
26 April 2024
Case Number
RS/INCONST/SPEC00004/2023/SC
Procedural Posture
Constitutional Petition / Final Judgment
Outcome
petition dismissed
Legal Topics
Equality Before the Law, Non Discrimination, Bodily Autonomy, Definition of Criminal Offences, Gender Discrimination
Source Language
rw
Constitutional Law Criminal Law Human Rights Equality Before the Law Non Discrimination Bodily Autonomy Definition of Criminal Offences Gender Discrimination

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Parties

Feminist Action Development Ambition (FADA)

Applicant

Republic of Rwanda

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Constitutional Petition / Final Judgment

  1. 1 Whether Article 143 of Law N° 68/2018 violates Articles 13, 15, and 16 of the Constitution of Rwanda by criminalizing 'indecent acts in public' in a manner that discriminates based on gender and lacks legal certainty.

Ratio Decidendi

The Supreme Court held that Article 143 of Law N° 68/2018, as written, does not violate Articles 13, 15, or 16 of the Constitution because it applies to 'any person' and does not contain language that discriminates based on gender. The Court found that FADA failed to demonstrate a direct causal link between the law and any violation of the right to bodily integrity or equality before the law. Alleged discriminatory enforcement or lack of clarity in application does not suffice to declare the law unconstitutional when the statutory language itself is neutral.

Court Disposition

petition dismissed

Orders

  • The petition by Feminist Action Development Ambition (FADA) is dismissed for lack of merit.
  • Article 143 of Law N° 68/2018 is declared consistent with Articles 13, 15, and 16 of the Constitution of Rwanda.