ICTR PROSECUTOR SAYS THIS WEEK'S JUDGEMENTS ARE HISTORIC

“We should not use these rights as weapons of destructions. Those who use the mass media to target a racial or ethnic group for destruction will face justice,” Jallow said. The tribunal found three Rwandan media personalities in the media trial guilty of inciting the 1994 Rwanda genocide using the media. Ferdinand Nahimana (RTLM Director) and Hassan Ngeze (Editor Kangura newspaper) were each imprisoned for the remainder of their life. Their co-accused Jean-Bosco Barayagizwa was sentenced to thirty-five years. On the conviction of former Mukingo mayor, Juvenal Kajelijeli, Jallow said he was “a very bad man who was deeply devoted to his evil cause”. Kajelijeli was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity on December 1st and sentenced to life imprisonment. Jallow added that the tribunal, through the two judgments, “has created a body of law that may in future deter the conduct and communications that unleash genocide and crimes against humanity”. He also noted that the trials are moving at the right pace. Cases against seventeen individuals have been adjudged while decisions against six others are expected in the coming weeks and months. Also trials against eighteen other suspects are in progress. “Much remains to be done, but this tribunal is well on its way to completing its mission of trying those who bear greatest responsibility for the genocidal murder of more than half a million human beings in Rwanda during 100 days,” Jallow stated. PJ/CE/FH (OTP'1203e)