MEDIA TRIAL TO RESUME DECEMBER 2nd

Arusha, November 25th, 2002 (FH) - The genocide trial of three former Rwandan media personalities at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) will resume on December 2nd. The trial was adjourned on November 8th.

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The trial brings together founder member of 'hate-radio', Radio-Télévision Libre des Mille collines (RTLM) and alleged de facto leader of the radio, Ferdinand Nahimana, former editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Kangura", Hassan Ngeze, and founder member of hard-line Hutu party, Coalition pour la defence de la République (CDR) and member of the board at RTLM, Jean Bosco Barayagwiza. The three are mainly accused of using the media to incite and fuel the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. According to a notice from the ICTR press and public affairs section, Trial Chamber one of the ICTR, before which the trial is being held, has since November 18th been deliberating on the judgement of genocide suspect and former Seventh day Adventist pastor Elizaphan Ntakirutimana and his son Gerard Ntakirutimana. At its resumption, the media trial will continue hearing defence witnesses for Nahimana. The session is set to last until the beginning of the end-of-year court recess in mid-December. Trial Chamber One of the ICTR is composed of Judges Navanethem Pillay of South Africa (Presiding), Erik Møse of Norway and Asoka de Zoysa Gunawardana of Sri Lanka. GG/CE/FH(ME-1125e)