Philippe Hategekimana: GUILTY of genocide – life sentence affirmed after appeal dismissed

Philippe Hategekimana: GUILTY of genocide – life sentence affirmed after appeal dismissed

Philippe Hategekimana, a former Rwandan gendarme, has been sentenced to life for genocide after an appeal lasting six weeks in Paris. Having fled to France and changed his name to ‘Manier’ the killer is behind bars after the court President noted he had been a most enthusiastic arm of the Genocide. Witnesses noted he had led massacres of Tutsi Men, women and children and set up many roadblocks to facilitate the slaughter.

A brief history of impunity: the UK and War Crimes 1945 – 2025

A brief history of impunity: the UK and War Crimes 1945 – 2025

In 8 decades the UK government has shown a breathtaking, cynical disregard of its moral duty of bring war criminals and genocidaire living in the country to justice… Holocaust perpetrators, Rwandan genocidaire, mass murderers from Darfur, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia… the list goes on… here is a brief history, recommendations for change – and the price we all pay for genocide impunity…

Has the DRC welcomed the ‘Niger 6’ – is Mon. Z finally welcome somewhere?

Has the DRC welcomed the ‘Niger 6’ – is Mon. Z finally welcome somewhere?

Has the DRC offered to fund and give a pleasant new retirement home for the 6 former ICTR detainees now in Niger? After 2.5 years of trying and failing to find any state willing to take them in, rumours and leaks swirl that President Tshisekedi has seen a new opportunity to annoy Kigali – using Z and the other 5 as some form of ‘aged’ diplomatic ballast. The stark alternative – a one way return to Rwanda. Thirty years after their genocidal regime in Rwanda was defeated and the 6 fled to the DRC, are they about to return there to a warm welcome?

UK Extradition Cases 2008-17: Full Court judgments

UK Extradition Cases 2008-17: Full Court judgments

There were four court extradition rulings made between 2008 and 2017 at Westminster Magistrates Court and at High Court appeals. Each judgment (pdf) gives some background on the prima facie cases against the five genocide suspects, as well as reasons why the extradition was approved (2008) or denied (2009, 2015, 2017). Also included is the landmark 2012 European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling that a Rwandan genocide suspect could be safely extradited from Sweden to Rwanda.

Celestin Ugirashebuja

Celestin Ugirashebuja

Celestin Ugirashebuja, 71, now lives in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. He is a former mayor. During the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi he is alleged to have worked with members of his commune staff and gendarmes (police) to kill Tutsi living in the local vicinity, including addressing crowds urging them to do so, and attending roadblocks where killings often took place to check on numbers murdered.

Emmanuel Nkunduwimye – Brussels sentences killer for genocide and rape

Emmanuel Nkunduwimye – Brussels sentences killer for genocide and rape

Emmanuel Nkunduwimye, 65, a close friend and supporter of the former deputy leader of the notorious Interahamwe militia, Georges Rutaganda, has been found guilty of genocide and rape, by a Brussels court after a two month trial. He was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment. The self-proclaimed ‘hero’s Hotel Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina, notably refused to testify in defence of his friend Nkunduwimye.

Fulgence Kayishema – South African’ justice’ and genocide accused conspire to block international justice

Fulgence Kayishema – South African’ justice’ and genocide accused conspire to block international justice

In May 2023 justice finally caught up with one of the last major fugitives, former Police chief Fulgence Kayishema, who had been sought by the UN Mechanism in South Africa. However, Kayishema, his lawyers and an inept and politically-dubious Cape Town legal system have so far blocked justice and one year on the accused has still to be transferred to the Mechanism to face trial accused of killing thousands of Tutsis in 1994.