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This verdict comes just days after a group of Rwandan genocide survivors filed a lawsuit against France in the Paris Administrative Court, accusing the country of complicity in the 1994 genocide
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Eugene Rwamucyo found guilty of “complicity in genocide,” “complicity in crimes against humanity,” and “conspiracy to prepare crimes”
KIGALI, Rwanda – A French court sentenced former Rwandan doctor Eugene Rwamucyo to 27 years in prison on Wednesday for his involvement in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda.
The Cour d'Assises de Paris found Rwamucyo guilty of “complicity in genocide,” “complicity in crimes against humanity,” and “conspiracy to prepare crimes.” However, he was acquitted of the charges of direct genocide and crimes against humanity.
During the trial, which began on October 1, Rwamucyo denied the charges. He was accused of promoting anti-Tutsi propaganda and overseeing the burial of victims in mass graves in the former Butare Prefecture in southern Rwanda. French prosecutors had sought a 30-year prison sentence.
The Cour d'Assises de Paris found Rwamucyo guilty of “complicity in genocide
Jean Pierre Gakwerere, a genocide survivor, told Anadolu that he closely followed the case, stating that Rwamucyo’s sentencing reflects France’s commitment to justice for survivors.
The 65-year-old Rwamucyo was arrested in Sannois, a suburb of Paris, in May 2010 while working as a doctor in a hospital in northern France. In 2009, he had been sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by a Rwandan court for similar charges.
This verdict comes just days after a group of Rwandan genocide survivors filed a lawsuit against France in the Paris Administrative Court, accusing the country of complicity in the 1994 genocide. Survivors, represented by various associations, are seeking $540 million in reparations, with a ruling expected on November 14.
French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged in 2021 that France and its allies "could have stopped" the genocide but "lacked the will to do so," a notable shift in France’s stance on its involvement in the tragedy. Macron recognized France's "responsibility" in the genocide during a visit to Rwanda.
The 1994 genocide claimed around one million lives, mainly from the Tutsi community and moderate Hutus, during a 100-day massacre orchestrated by Hutu extremists.
Source: AA Anadolu Ajansı Rwanda
