22.06.07 - ICTR/FRANCE - THE ICTR ISSUES ARREST WARRANT AGAINST ABBOT MUNYESHYAKA EXILED IN FRANCE

Arusha, 22 June 2007 (FH) - The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) issued Thursday arrest warrants against Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka and against the former prefect of Gikongoro Laurent Bucyibaruta, exiled in France, it was learned Friday from a legal sources at the ICTR.

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At the beginning of the week, transfer requests were filed in connection
with these two men whose indictments have been under seal since 2005. The
French legal authorities accepted, at the request of the Prosecutor of the
ICTR, to try them. A Chamber of the ICTR, which will be designated by the
President, must, however, give its consent.

These transfers are within the framework of the completion strategy of the
ICTR, which must finish its first instance trials by 31 December 2008.
Since its creation, the ICTR has tried 33 people, 28 are in the course of
judgment, and 10 should be transferred or quickly tried.

Wenceslas Munyeshyeka, who was the vicar of the principal parish of
Kigali, is accused of genocide, rape, murder and extermination. Laurent
Bucyibaruta is accused of genocide, incitement, complicity to
extermination, murder and rape constituting a crime against humanity.

They were both part, as well as two other exiled Rwandan accused, of the
object of a legal instruction in France, grouped together in Paris and in
the hands of an investigating judge.

PB/MM

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