France: The Paris Court of Assize sentences Laurent Bucyibaruta to 20 years imprisonment.

13-07-2022

Grace ATALUI MOKANGO

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

On Tuesday 12 July, the Paris Court of Assize found Laurent Bucyibaruta, former prefect of the Gikongoro prefecture in western Rwanda, to be an accomplice to genocide and crimes against humanity for four massacres perpetrated in 1994, thereby sentencing him to 20 years in prison. 

AfricaNews reported that after nearly eleven hours of deliberation at The Court of Assize in Paris, the 78-year-old was acquitted as a perpetrator of genocide.But he was found guilty as an accomplice to genocide and crimes against humanity for four massacres. Bucyibaruta, whose trial began on May 9th, was the highest-ranking Rwandan official ever tried in France for crimes related to the Tutsi genocide. While the defence pleaded for acquittal on all charges, the court fully acquitted Laurent Bucyibaruta of the charges of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in the parish of Kibeho on 14 April 1994, as well as those concerning the executions of Tutsi prisoners in the Gikongoro prison. However, it found him to be an accomplice to genocide and crimes against humanity for the massacres at the school under construction in Murambi and the parishes of Cyanika and Kaduha, all committed on 21 April 1994. He was also convicted of complicity in these crimes for the executions of pupils at the Marie Merci school in Kibeho, and those committed during rounds and at barriers.

According to French criminal procedure, Laurent Bucyibaruta has ten days to appeal against this decision which sentenced him to a heavy prison term. 

Source and further reading

Genocide in Rwanda : ex-prefect sentenced to 20 years in prison for complicity. (2022). AfricaNews. From: https://www.africanews.com/2022/07/12/genocide-in-rwanda-ex-prefect-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison-for-complicity/