JURIST - Paper Chase: Rwanda genocide suspect arrested in France

[JURIST] Rwandan genocide suspect Innocent Musabyimana was arrested Tuesday in France on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Rwandan officials issued an arrest warrant [UPI report] for Musabyimana in November. Prosecutors in Rwanda have requested that Musabyimana be extradited to Rwanda where he will stand trial for charges of genocide, murder, and rape, in connection to the 1994 Rwandan genocide [BBC backgrounder]. French authorities claim to be unaware [RFI report] of how Musabyimana came to France or how long he has been in the country. A French judge is expected to rule on the extradition request by January 30. If the judge grants this request, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault would sign an extradition order to send Musabyimana back to Rwanda to stand trial.

Last month the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) [official website] convicted [JURIST report] former Rwandan minister Augustin Ngirabatware [case materials], sentencing him to 35 years in prison and concluding the tribunal's final trial. Ngirabatware was found guilty on charges of genocide, incitement to commit genocide and rape as a crime against humanity. Also in December, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution [JURIST report] to extend the term of office of five judges of the ICTR. Since its founding in 1994 following the Rwandan genocide, the ICTR has indicted 91 individuals and, thus far, finished 50 trials with 29 convictions.