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Genocide in Rwanda: Félicien Kabuga's inability to stand trial 'is a failure in terms of justice'

There will be no verdict for the trial before the Hague tribunal on Rwanda for Félicien Kabuga. The judges ruled on Wednesday, June 7: Félicien Kabuga presented as the alleged financier of the genocide in Rwanda against the Tutsis in 1994, is unfit to stand trial for health reasons. A failure of justice for Lewis Mudge, director for Central Africa of the NGO Human Rights Watch.

Félicien Kabuga, accused of genocide against the Tutsi, on November 11, 2020, in The Hague, Netherlands. © MICT via AFPTV

Text by: Pierre Firtion Follow

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RFI: How do you react to this announcement?

Lewis Mudge: That is the decision of the Court and of course the Court has the right to decide whether someone is fit to continue a trial. But we find this very regrettable. The arrest of Félicien Kabuga and the beginning of his trial was really a very important step towards establishing who is responsible for the planning and execution of the genocide in Rwanda. And Félicien Kabuga is accused of being among the great leaders of the planning of the genocide.

The court said it was looking for an alternative solution that resembled a trial as much as possible, but without the possibility of conviction. Already, we imagine that this is a real blow for the victims, for the families of the victims...

That's right. Félicien Kabuga is accused of being one of the masterminds of the genocide. If, after his arrest, there is not even a possibility for him to go to prison for a while, it is a failure. He won because he avoided being convicted and that is a failure in terms of justice, in our opinion.

What will be the consequences of this decision on the history of genocide and on our understanding of this history of genocide?

There is quite a bit that was already published on Félicien Kabuga, including the Human Rights Watch report. So it was really an opportunity for him first to confess and apologize, or to deny and give another version of the facts.

Second, this is the first time in the thirteen years that I have worked at Human Rights Watch that I have seen this alternative mechanism. This is new. So I don't know if there is a precedent in this country. But since Kabuga was really one of the big fish, it is unfortunate that he does not run the risk of being convicted.

>> Read also: Investigation - Genocide in Rwanda: the underside of the hunt for Felicien Kabuga

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