December 18, 2008: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Judgment Against Four Senior Rwandan Army
Press Releases
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Judgment Against Four Senior Rwandan Army
December 18, 2008 The United States welcomes today’s conviction by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) of three senior Rwandan army officials for their role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. One suspect was acquitted. Theoneste Bagosora, Aloys Ntabakuze, and Anatole Nsengiyumva were sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. Former Director of the Rwandan Defense Ministry Theoneste Bagosora, widely seen as a central architect behind the genocide, also was found responsible for the killing of former Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana and ten Belgian peacekeepers assigned to protect her. This ruling was an important step in providing justice and accountability for the Rwandan people and the international community. The conviction of Mr. Bagosora shows that even those at the highest levels of government are not immune from prosecution in the face of such grave atrocities. Thirteen ICTR fugitives remain at large. The United States urges all countries to continue their cooperation with the ICTR in immediately arresting and transferring these fugitives to that Tribunal. The United States is a longstanding supporter of international justice and the largest financial contributor to the ICTR and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The U.S. provides over $75 million annually to both Tribunals, which accounts for nearly 25% of their overall budgets. Since the Tribunals’ inception, the U.S. has contributed over $1 billion total.
STATEMENT BY SEAN MCCORMACK, SPOKESMAN