UN Underneath-Secretary-Normal and Particular Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Nderitu welcomed on Monday the life imprisonment sentence that the Paris Assize Courtroom issued Philippe Hategekimana on June 28. Hategekimana was sentenced to life imprisonment for the genocide crimes that he dedicated in the course of the 1994 genocide towards the Tutsi in Rwanda. The trial of Hategekimana was France’s fifth trial of alleged perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, by which greater than 800,000 people—primarily Tutsis—had been reportedly killed between April and July 1994.
A naturalized French citizen since 2005, Hategekimana, now age 66, was previously the chief warrant officer of Butare, Rwanda. Charged for genocide and crimes towards humanity, Hategekimana was accused of partaking in or inciting the homicide of dozens of Tutsis in Butare. This included the mayor of Ntyazo, Rwanda who opposed the implementation of genocide in his commune. Hategekimana was tried in Paris, France on the premise of “universal jurisdiction”, which permits France to strive severe human rights offenses dedicated exterior the nation, underneath sure situations.
The prosecution claimed that Hategekimana commanded and supervised the erection of quite a few roadblocks that had been “meant to regulate and kill Tutsi civilians.” As well as, the prosecution accused him of getting participated in massacres in Nyanza, Rwanda, such because the Nyabubare Hill bloodbath that killed 300 folks on April 23, 1994 and the Nyamure Hill bloodbath that killed hundreds of Tutsi refugees on April 27, 1994. Though the courtroom didn’t acknowledge Hategekimana because the perpetrator of the massacres for the latter crime, the courtroom discovered him complicit. Presiding decide Jean-Marc Lavergn abhorred Hategekimana’s “lack of any honest expression of regret.”
Throughout the trial, which lasted 31 days and heard testimony from over 100 witnesses, Hategekimana remained silent. Due to his silence, the prosecution relied closely upon witness testimony. It was not till later that Hategekimana confessed to committing the murders and coercing others to participate within the genocide.
In mild of Hategekimana’s life sentence, Nderitu known as upon remaining fugitives of the 1994 Rwandan genocide to give up themselves so justice could be served. She stated, “This verdict is one other sturdy sign to all those that commit atrocity crimes, incite to have them dedicated, or who glorify the perpetrators thereof, that justice will prevail – irrespective of their makes an attempt at hiding, irrespective of the time that has handed.”
Nderitu espoused that quite a few indicted people are nonetheless at giant in UN member states, undermining the aim of her workplace. She asserted that it’s incumbent on her workplace to collaborate with events in search of accountability from perpetrators of atrocity crimes and to discourage potential perpetrators from committing atrocity crimes. She additionally famous that courtroom verdicts are essential as they enhance visibility, spotlight standing, and make sure the dignity of victims and their households.
This text was additionally contributed to by Polina Dvornikova, a scholar at Yaroslav Mudryi Nationwide Regulation College, UA.
