A viral video showing police officers arresting a young woman reportedly over her miniskirt at a bus park in Rwanda has sparked outrage, with the officers involved now detained and the woman cleared.

The incident happened at a bus park in Rubavu District, western Rwanda, where two police officers were filmed apprehending the woman as members of the public watched.

The footage, which has since spread widely on social media, shows the officers taking the woman into custody.

Online reports linked the confrontation to the woman’s clothing, with several users describing her outfit as a miniskirt.

The incident has triggered a heated debate over how authorities in Rwanda enforce public decency rules, particularly when it comes to women’s clothing.

Rwanda National Police confirmed that the officers captured in the video had been arrested and detained, while the young woman was cleared.

“The police officers appearing in these images have been arrested and detained,” the force said in a statement.

“The young woman was also cleared.”

The police force added that officers across the country had been instructed and strongly cautioned to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again.

The development has shifted attention from the woman’s alleged clothing violation to the conduct of the officers and the manner in which the arrest was handled.

Online users criticised the incident, describing the treatment of the woman as humiliating and calling for accountability.

One user, @ChariffNgimbi, wrote: “@Rwandapolice, this is deeply concerning. Whatever the circumstances, publicly humiliating women cannot be the way an institution entrusted with protecting citizens responds. Women deserve dignity and respect, not public shaming. This deserves more accountability.”

The Rubavu incident comes as Rwanda continues to grapple with debate over public decency and what constitutes acceptable dress in public spaces.

The issue recently attracted attention following reports that some women were denied entry to a Diamond Platnumz concert in Kigali because security personnel considered their outfits too revealing.

The reports prompted questions over how authorities and private security personnel determine what amounts to inappropriate clothing, as well as whether clear standards have been communicated to the public.

The latest incident has added to those questions, particularly over whether an individual’s clothing can justify police intervention and how such intervention should be carried out.

While Rwanda has laws addressing public indecency, the controversy has raised questions over the limits of police authority and the need to balance enforcement with the dignity and rights of members of the public