The Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) wants to relocate to Uganda, some Rwandans that were acquitted of genocide charges and former convicts that have completed their sentences.
The ICTR was established by the UN Security Council to prosecute people responsible for the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. However, it is set to close business at the end of this year after completing its mandate.
Bocar Sy, the spokesperson for ICTR said the tribunal is working to relocate people who have been acquitted or those released after serving their sentences because they do not feel safe to return to Rwanda.
He said that there are seven acquitted persons and three others that have completed their sentences but remain in safe houses in Arusha under the tribunal’s protection.
Sy told journalists at the Uganda Media Centre yesterday (Tuesday), “The UN Security Council has asked the member states to assist ICTR to host the released and acquitted persons. Uganda being a member of the international community, we hope and wish that Uganda will assist ICTR.”
“Those who were acquitted and others who have served their sentences are stranded in Arusha and don’t want to return to Rwanda,” said Danford Mpumilwa, the information officer for ICTR.
On the possibility of having the Rwandans relocated, the Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo said, “Government of Uganda would have no problem but it would be in liaison with the Government of Rwanda and the United Nations.”
The Rwanda criminal tribunal passed its final judgment in December 2012, which marked the end of substantive trials. It is set to close and transition into the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT).
This is in line with the UN Security Council’s framework of implementation. The MICT will continue to perform the essential functions such as securing the arrest, transfer and prosecution of remaining 9 fugitives still at large, as well as cooperating with other states and Interpol to arrest them.
During its 20 years of existence, ICTR indicted 93 masterminds of the genocide against the Tutsis and secured the arrest of 83 of them.
“It is projected that by the end of 2014, the tribunal’s appeals work will be completed in line with the ICTR completion strategy as requested by the UN Security Council,” said Sy.
Sy also said ICTR is approaching UN member states willing to host convicts, pointing out former Rwandan Prime Minister Jean Kambanda who is serving his jail sentence in a Malian prison.
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