News
Lieutenant Colonel Tharcisse Muvunyi Condemned to 25 Years in Prison By the ICTR2006-09-12All Africa Global MediaLieutenant-colonel Tharcisse Muvunyi, the 53 year-old former commander ad interim of the Non-commissioned Officers Academy of Butare, was sentenced this Tuesday by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) to 25 years in prison for his participation in the 1994 genocide. Of the five charges held against him, three only have been retained: genocide, aiding and abetting genocide and crime against humanity. Muvunyi had pleaded not guilty and the prosecutor had called for a life sentence. Muvunyi had been arrested in the United Kingdom on February 5th 2002 and transferred to Arusha, Tanzania where his trial opened on February 28th 2005. The prosecutor produced 22 witnesses, the defense 24 and the hearings had closed on June 23rd 2006. In addition to the charges held against Muvunyi himself, he was facing accusations for crimes committed by his subordinates, and notably rapings. The chamber has judged that he had failed to take any measure to prevent those crimes or to punish the culprits. The Rwandan genocide that took place between April and July 1994 has caused the death of approximately 800.000 persons according to the United Nations. The ICTR was created in November 1994 by the Security Council of the UN and held its first hearing in January 1997. So far, 30 convicts have been judged. 4 of them received this Tuesday a verdict of not-guilty, among whom Jean Mpambara - former mayor of Rukara. Another judgment should be pronounced before the end of the month in the case of Andre Rwamakuba.
Channel: USHMM: International Law
| Copyright © 2004-2006 AskQ | Web Hosting by cHosting.com |