05.06.09 - ICTR/UN - ICTR URGES UN TO EXTEND JUDGES MANDATE TO END OF 2010

Arusha, 5 June 2009 (FH) - The President of International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Justice Dennis Byron, requested Thursday the UN  Security Council to extend the mandate of the  UN Court judges, trying key suspects of 1994 genocide,  to 31 December 2010.

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"We invite the Council to approve our request for the extension of the mandate of our trial judges until 31 December 2010", urged Justice Byron.

The UN had directed last year that ICTR complete all first instance trials by end of this year.

Judge Byron, however, explained to the Security Council that at least one trial would not be finished within the deadline and that the judgements in many case could be rendered only next year.

He, moreover, indicated that the Tribunal was confronted with exodus of its middle and key personnel.

Judge Byron also underlined that 13 fugitives indicted by the ICTR were still at large 15 years after the genocide.

Four of them should have been tried by the Tribunal as high level defendants, he said.

He reiterated his call to the UN member states to cooperate fully in order to arrest the fugitives and transfer them to Arusha.

Justice Byron also asked for the support of these countries so that the ICTR receives the necessary resources for the achievement and the completion of its tasks.

ER/MM/SC/GF

© Hirondelle News Agency