French government has announced that effect from January 1, next year a special court to try Rwandan genocide cases will commence.
The latest development follows the approval of a law on December 13, 2011 to establish the tribunal.
Rwanda’s Prosecutor General Martin Ngoga commended the move saying, “I understand there has been a plan in France to set up a special chamber to deal with genocide cases, I’m unaware it is now done, nevertheless if France implements the plan it will most likely help to move forward the process of these cases that are many in France where the country has done badly on this subject .”
He added, “of course lack of such an arrangement cannot constitute a serious excuse for what they have not been doing, but setting up a special chamber would demonstrate more than ever before a new chapter of seriousness that should be attached to a problem of that magnitude.”
When fully operational, the Paris based court will prioritize on concluding 20 genocide cases piled in France’s several intermediary courts.
Indeed, among the Rwandan genocide offenses include, war crimes, torture, both genocide ideology and denial.
Yet in order to strengthen its capacity, the court will work jointly with the international criminal court to gather more evidence especially from recent captured suspects who have worked with Rwandan rebels based in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) who are also suspected to have contributed largely to the genocide.
Meanwhile Political leaders in France have condemned the recent attack of their colleague who spearheaded the formation of this special court.
Last month, the French Minister of Justice told Hirondelle News Agency that four examining judges will be exclusively assigned to the special genocide unit of Paris Tribunal de grande instance that will commence duties in January 2012.
The French Assembly passed the law creating this special unit on November 16. It will serve as a special forum to deal with crimes against humanity, crimes of war, and acts of torture.
Along with the four magistrates, one judge from the office of the Prosecutor, two Registrars and six other employees coming from the Minister of Foreign Affairs will also be assigned to the special unit, the Minister of Justice’s spokesman Bruno Dabre said.
The unit will have to handle in priority twenty Rwandan cases out of a total of 340 files. Bruno Dabre added that the financial resources of the unit have not been yet disclosed.
According to the new law, examining judges will be entitled within the frame of a Rogatory letter and with the approval of the concerned state to conduct hearings in that territory.
The special unit will also inherit the case opened against French soldiers for alleged rapes committed in 1994 during Operation Turquoise.
Proceedings in this case are slated to be transferred from the Army Court on January 1st, 2012.
ENDS
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