This month:
- Two fugitives suspected of a key role in the Rwandan genocide have been found
- Domestic prosecutions for core international crimes
Fugitives
- On May 16th the France authorities arrested Félicien Kabuga. He was initially wanted by the ICTR, but his case was handed over to the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT). The suspect is now awaiting transfer.
- On May 22 the IRMCT confirmed the death of the ICTR-fugitive Augustin Bizimana.
Domestic prosecutions
Belgium
A Belgian court has upheld the 25-year sentence handed to Genocide convict Fabien Neretse.
Brazil
Gonzalo Sanchez has been arrested in Brazil. He is a former Argentine navy officer accused of forming part of a group that assassinated students, union members and opposition politicians. Their bodies were thrown from planes on so-called “death flights.” Sanchez was previously arrested and the Supreme Court already authorised his extradition. But he decided to hide himself. Sanchez has been on the run from Argentina’s justice system since 2005.
On 25 May, the Special Criminal Court announced 9 new arrests of alleged combatants of the Union for Peace rebel group. These follow other 9 arrests of alleged members of the Popular Front for the Renaissance of the Central African Republic (FPRC), an ex-Seleka militia, made last week by the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA on the Court’s behalf.
The Court’s mandate is to investigate and prosecute serious human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law committed in CAR since 1 January 2003.
Germany
In Germany various suspects are being prosecuted for core international crimes related to the Syrian conflict. Some highights:
- Omaima M. (IS/Yazidi enslavement case)
- Anwar and Raslan (Branch 251/torture by Syrian state actors)
- Hafiz A. (doctor torturing arrested opponents to the Syrian government)
- Jamil Hassan: in 2018 an international arrest warrant has been issued by Germany against the former head of the Syrian Air Force Intelligence Service
Rwanda
Ladislas Ntaganzwa has been sentenced for planning and ordering the killing of more than 25 000 Tutsis. He was initially indicted by the ICTR, later by the IRMCT, and then the case was transferred to the national Rwandan jurisdiction. He has been convicted him for genocide, extermination as crime against humanity and rape as crime against humanity and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was not found guilty of murder as crime against humanity and direct and public incitement to commit genocide.
