ICJ Kenya Statement on the arrest of Félicien Kabuga
The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) welcomes the news of arrest of Félicien Kabuga in Paris on 16 May 2020. We applaud the cooperation between the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) and the French authorities in the arrest.
Félicien Kabuga was indicted by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in 1998 and accused of committing genocide and crimes against humanity in Rwanda. He was part owner of Radio Television Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM) whose broadcast incited hatred towards Rwanda’s Tutsis. He was also the main financier of the Interahamwe militia. It is alleged that he instructed, prompted, designed, encouraged and assisted RTLM broadcasts targeting Tutsis, and significantly contributed to the genocide and persecution of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
The arrest of Félicien Kabuga is a testament that those responsible for grave crimes like genocide and crimes against humanity cannot evade justice and will eventually be held accountable even a quarter of a century after the crimes were committed. Until all those responsible for the genocide are brought to account there can be no sense of justice for the victims.
ICJ Kenya reaffirms its commitment to supporting accountability for grave crimes and justice for victims of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. We call upon all States to cooperate with the IRMCT in the location, arrest, detention, surrender and transfer of accused persons still at large. We also call upon State parties to the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to back their commitments with action. Preventing and punishing genocide is the responsibility of the entire international community and all State parties should honour their obligations.
The Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ Kenya) is a membership, non-governmental, non-partisan and not-for-profit organization registered as a society in Kenya since 1959. ICJ Kenya’s mandate is to protect human rights and promote the rule of law and democracy in Kenya and across Africa through the application of legal expertise and international best practices.
Signed by:
Mr. Kelvin Mogeni
Chairperson of the ICJ Kenya Council
