Jean Paul Ibambe is a Rwandan human rights lawyer and media law specialist with over 15 years of experience in journalism, media regulation, legal practice, and human rights advocacy. A member of the Rwanda Bar Association and the East African Law Society, he is a passionate defender of press freedom, access to information, and responsible freedom of expression.
Currently, Jean Paul is a 2024-2025 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow in Law and Human Rights at Arizona State University, focusing on media law and freedom of expression.
As a founding partner of H-I LEX Partners, a Kigali-based law firm, Jean Paul has successfully represented journalists and media practitioners in high-profile legal battles, securing acquittals and promoting justice. His expertise extends to constitutional petitions advocating for the decriminalization of defamation and reforms to foster a more equitable legal framework for media freedom.
Jean Paul served as a Legal Advisor to the Rwanda Media Commission, where he managed over 250 cases involving press freedom violations, journalist safety, and access to information. He has been instrumental in policy development, including drafting Rwanda's media code of ethics and leading training for journalists, government officials, and security agencies on freedom of expression and media law.
He also worked at The Legal Aid Forum, where he held senior roles as Senior Capacity Development Officer, Programs Manager, and Projects Coordinator. He spearheaded initiatives that provided legal awareness to over 2 million Rwandans through ICT platforms, trained thousands of legal aid providers and journalists, participated in the Treaty Body Reporting Task Force of Rwanda by producing national human rights reports for various regional and international mechanisms, including the UPR, and contributed to project proposals and the management of over $5 million in funding from international partners such as UNESCO, USAID, FCDO, and the European Union, among others.
His academic credentials include a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Institute of Legal Practice and Development and an LL.B. from the National University of Rwanda. He has also completed several academic programs and training in Law and Human Rights from institutions such as the University of Kansas, Oxford University, UNESCO, the Thomson Foundation, and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, among others.
Jean Paul’s work has earned him recognition as a founding member of the African Media Lawyers Network, supported by UNESCO. His publications and contributions on media laws and human rights continue to influence legal reforms and promote accountability in Rwanda and beyond. Fluent in English, French, and Kinyarwanda, he brings a global perspective and a deep commitment to justice and freedom of expression.