Former Rwandan doctor, Eugène Rwamucyo, faces the Paris Assize Court to answer charges of genocide and crimes against humanity dating back to the spring of 1994, during the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda. His trial falls within the framework of universal jurisdiction which allows a State to try serious crimes, regardless of where they were committed.
Rwamucyo, aged 65, is accused of having participated in the burial of the bodies of victims and in inciting hatred within the University of Butare. According to him, he buried the bodies for reasons of hygiene. The Collective of Civil Parties for Rwanda (CPCR) played a key role in the indictment, pointing to extremist speeches made by the accused in May 1994.
After fleeing Rwanda in 1994, Rwamucyo lived in several countries before seeking asylum in France in 1999. His request was rejected, but he nevertheless managed to obtain a residence permit. He worked in France until his arrest in 2010, after which the Versailles Court of Appeal refused his extradition to Rwanda.
His trial in France, which includes 750 civil parties, is expected to expose the complexities of the charges against him. His lawyer, Me Philippe Meilhac, defends that his client’s actions stem from his duties as a doctor. The verdict is expected on October 29.
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