Belgium asks for transfer of Rwanda priest case News
Belgium asks for transfer of Rwanda priest case

[JURIST] Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht has formally asked that Guy Theunis, a Belgian priest, be brought to Belgium to face trial for his alleged role in the Rwandan genocide [Wikipedia backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. Earlier this month, Theunis was the first foreigner to be brought before community gacaca courts for crimes relating to the 1994 genocide. His case was subsequently referred to a higher court that has authority to impose the death penalty for genocide crimes, which then charged Theunis with inciting and planning genocide [JURIST report]. Under de Gucht's proposal, a Belgian judge would investigate the charges before deciding whether to prosecute Theunis. Rwanda's foreign minister has said that the country will consider Belgium's request but said that Rwanda would need guarantees about how the investigation would be carried out. BBC News has more.