09.06.11 - ICTR/RWANDA - RWANDA SUGGESTS CANCELLATION OF TRANSFER OF CASES TO FRANCE

Arusha, June 9, 2011(FH) -The government of Rwanda has suggested to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to cancel the transfer of two cases to France for trial involving Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka and ex-governor Laurent Bucyibaruta, if their prosecutions would continue to be delayed.

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Rwanda Representative to the UN, Eugène-Richard Gasana on Monday "urged the Council to obtain an official report on the status of prosecutions of the two cases transferred to France for trial in 2007", according to the UN Department of Public Information.

He stated that "the Tribunal has the duty to revoke those referrals if they continued to delay prosecution of Father Wenceslas Munyeshyaka and Laurent Bucyibaruta".

In his response the ICTR Prosecutor Hassan Bubacar Jallow "assured Gasana that there were extensive arrangements to monitor the two cases being tried in France".

"Both cases were now before an investigating judge and the monitoring arrangements would continue to provide information on their status," he said in the statement, adding that during his recent trip to Europe he had received assurance from French authorities of their effective procedure in connection with the cases.

In November 2007, the ICTR referred to France the cases of Munyeshyaka, a Priest at the Holy Family Parish in Kigali between 1992 and 1994 and that of Bucyibaruta, former Governor of Gikongoro prefecture and the prosecution appointed monitors to observe and report on progress made in investigations and prosecution.

Father Munyeshyaka, who lives in exile in Gisors (North-west of France) since 2001, is accused by ICTR prosecutor of killing and raping several persons and handing over dozens of Tutsis to the Interahamwe militiamen, who then killed them. In Rwanda, Father Wenceslas was sentenced in 2006, in absentia, to life in jail.

Bucyibaruta lives near Troyes (North-east of France). The ICTR alleges that he incited the Interahamwe to perpetrate the genocide in Gikongoro (South of Rwanda).

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