The manager of one of the Christian community radio stations in Rwanda, Amazing Grace FM, Pastor Gregory Ryan Schoof is spending a second day in police custody on Tuesday over hate speech allegedly directed at women, APA can report.
Schoof was arrested and detained on Monday after inviting journalists to a press conference to protest against the recent closure of his community radio by the Rwanda Regulatory Utility Agency (RURA), a reliable source told APA
According to a letter to reporters inviting them to the presser, Schoof was supposed to leave the country but did not elaborate on his reason for wanting to do so.
His trouble with the authorities started when the American pastor dragged the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), a regulatory body, to court for recently suspending his radio after it aired what the state considered as hate speech against women.
The Amazing Grace Radio proprietor was seeking a judicial review in a matter in which he challenged the indefinite suspension.
The decision by the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) to order the suspension of the station by relevant authorities comes after Amazing Grace FM on 29 January, 2018 aired a sermon by Pastor Nicholas Niyibikora describing women as “dangerous creatures of evil, going against God’s plans”.
Reportedly, the station senior management claimed it was unaware of the background of the preacher, who is believed to be on the run.
Following the incident, the Rwanda Media regulatory body resolved to write to the Rwanda Regulatory Utility Agency (RURA), seeking permission to shut down the station for at least three months as punishment.
The radio station is owned by American evangelist Schoof who said he did not condone the denigration of women.
Reports said that the same station has previously been warned after airing ‘provocative programmes’, and has had one of its shows “The Bible and Quran” banned for allegedly inciting hate against Muslims.
CU/as/APA