MEDIA TRIAL TO RESUME JANUARY 13TH

Arusha, January 10, 2003 (FH) - The socalled media trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) will resume of January 13th after a onemonth judicial recess. The trial brings together founder member of 'hateradio', RadioTélévision Libre des Mille collines (RTLM) and alleged leader of the radio, Ferdinand Nahimana, former editorinchief of the newspaper Kangura, Hassan Ngeze, and founder member of hardline Hutu party, Coalition pour la defence de la République (CDR) and member of the board of RTLM, Jean Bosco Barayagwiza.

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The three are mainly accused of using the media to incite and fuel the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Prior to adjourning, the defence of Nahimana had presented nine witnesses. He is the first of the three suspects to present his defence. All defence witnesses have denied prosecution allegations that Nahimana was an extremist who had masterminded the killing of ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus in the 1994 genocide. An estimated One million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the genocide according to an official census by the government of Rwanda. 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'0110e)