With our correspondent in Kigali, Laure Broulard

"Recommendations that are unrealistic and do not correspond to what is happening on the ground". This is how Providence Umurungi, director of the international department of the Justice Ministry, explained the rejection of 49 recommendations to pro-government local media.

During the periodic review, several countries criticized Rwanda on the question of human rights. The United Kingdom expressed concern about restrictions on press freedom and urged Rwandan authorities to transparently investigate allegations of extrajudicial executions, deaths in detention, forced disappearances, and torture…

The British representative also called on Rwanda to respect Commonwealth democratic values as the Commonwealth heads of government meeting is set to take place in Kigali in June.

These recommendations were deemed "unfounded" by Rwanda's representation mission in Geneva.

For its part, Human Rights Watch called on Commonwealth members to use the heads of government meeting to pressure Rwanda to implement the review's recommendations.

►Also read: Rwanda continues to 'arbitrarily and illegally detain the poor,' HRW denounces