In Rwanda, life imprisonment in isolation is different from life imprisonment, also a sentence in the Rwandan penal code.
Bizimana was, during the 1994 genocide which resulted, according to the UN, in nearly 800 000 deaths, primarily Tutsis, the mayor of the Rutonde commune, in the current East Province.
In prison for the last 14 years, he was convicted by the semi-traditional Gacaca Court of Kigabiro sector, in his former commune, according to the newspaper.
Inspired by the former village assemblies during which wise men of the village settled disagreements, while sitting on the grass (gacaca, in Kinyarwanda), these popular courts are charged with trying the majority of the alleged authors of the 1994 genocide.
Bizimana was found guilty of incitement to commit genocide, persecution of Tutsis, supervision of the massacres and looting in his commune, the tri-weekly newspaper is published in Kinyarwanda.
ER/PB/MM/SC
© Hirondelle News Agency