In a letter addressed to the president of the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals, Justice Minister/Attorney General Johnston Busingye called for investigations on the concerns raised against Meron’s conduct in cases he handled as ICTR president of appeal chamber.
Minister Busingye said the people of Rwanda are worried and extremely concerned with these allegations of bias and political influence of a Judge of the Appeals Chamber.
Theodor Meron is behind many controversial decisions against suspects at the Tanzania-based ICTR.
In February this year, he overturned the guilty sentences against former Ministers in the cabinet that implemented the Genocide.
Justin Mugenzi; Minister of commerce at the time and Prosper Mugiraneza of Public Service, had both been sentenced to 30 years by the Trial Chamber, but they were acquitted at appeal chamber.
He also acquitted former businessman Protais Zigiranyirazo, a top member of the Akazu group that over saw the 1994 Genocide against Tutsi and the brother in law of former president Juvenal Habyalimana.
Other controversial cases that were yet overturned by Judge Meron on appeal, including that of former ex-FAR strongman Col Theoneste Bagosora, whose life sentence was on appeal reduced to 35 years, despite his big role in Genocide.
The Minister of Justice said that those cases are questioned and the Rwandan community needs justice.
The ICTR which was established by the UN Security Council in 1994 has completed 75 cases, 12cases are acquittals and six of the acquitted are former cabinet ministers.
During its time of existence, the tribunal has been accused of allegedly including Genocide suspects in its ranks, and indeed, some of them ended up being arrested and put on trial by the same court following protests from Kigali.
minijust.gov.rw
UM– USEKE
