19.04.13 – WEEKLY SUMMARY - INTERPOL TO STEP UP SEARCH FOR RWANDAN GENOCIDE SUSPECTS

Arusha, April 19, 2013 (FH) – The international criminal police organization Interpol wants to tighten the net around Rwandan genocide suspects still on the run. Meanwhile, the new Registrar of the International Criminal Court, Herman von Hebel, has been sworn in.

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RWANDA/INTERPOL

Meeting at Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France on Monday and Tuesday, prosecutors from Rwanda and other countries exchanged information on 240 Rwandan genocide suspects at large abroad. The aim was to determine the whereabouts of these fugitives. Interpol is conducting this operation with the office of the Rwandan Attorney General and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in Arusha, Tanzania.

RWANDA/ICC

Rwanda, which holds the presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of April, Monday delivered a harsh criticism of the International Criminal Court, saying it was “subject to political manipulation” and violates national sovereignty. Rwanda "cannot support an ICC that condemns crimes committed by some and not others or imposes itself on democratic processes or the will of sovereign people,” said Rwandan Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo.

ICC/REGISTRAR

The new Registrar of the International Criminal Court, Herman von Hebel of the Netherlands, was sworn in on Thursday at a ceremony led by ICC President Sang-Hyun Song. Von Hebel was elected by the ICC judges on March 8 for a period of five years. He takes over from Silvana Arbia of Italy.

ER/JC