By PIERRE-ANTOINE SOUCHARD
The Associated Press
Thursday, December 16, 2010; 9:38 AM
PARIS -- A French judge has filed preliminary charges against six people close to President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, including the current defense minister, over the 1994 assassination of the country's then-president in a missile attack on his plane, their lawyers said Thursday.
The six - some ranking Rwandan army officials - were charged last week over the assassination of then Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, they said. The assassination was widely seen as the trigger to the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
Investigating Judge Marc Trevidic visited the Burundi capital of Bujumbura from Dec. 5 to Dec. 15, when the six agreed to be placed under investigation, said Bernard Maingain and Lev Forster, who represents all of the men.
Preliminary charges give officials time to pursue a probe before deciding whether to send suspects for trial or drop the case, and give suspects access to court files.
France is investigating the Rwanda case because the plane's crew was French and were killed with President Habyaramina, along with the then-president of Burundi, Cyprien Ntaryamira.
Among the six people in question are ranking Rwandan army officers, including General James Kabarebe, who has been Rwanda's defense minister since April, General Charles Kayonga and General Jackson Nkurunziza, the attorneys said. The remaining three were identified as Jacob Tumwine, Sam Kaka and Franck Nziza.
In November 2006, a now-retired anti-terrorism magistrate, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, delivered nine arrest warrants against people close to President Kagame, all accused of participating to various degrees in the April 6, 1994, attack.
The warrants triggered a break in diplomatic ties between France and Rwanda - re-established only in 2009. President Nicolas Sarkozy visited the Rwandan capital of Kigali last February, the first visit to Rwanda by a French leader in 25 years.
16 December, 2010
15 December, 2010
Police Raid of Victoire Ingabire's Home Gets Angry Reactions.
Radio Netherlands
by Sophie van Leeuwen
15 December 2010
The search of the premises of Rwandan politician Victoire Ingabire on Monday morning in Zevenhuizen, the Netherlands, has shocked politicians in the political capital The Hague. MPs from Dutch parties PvdA (Social-Democrats) and the ChristenUnie (Christian Union) demand an explanation from Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten.
“This raises many questions,” said Jeroen Recourt, PvdA MP and judiciary spokesman. “How can it be that the Department of Justice obediently conducts a search, upon Rwanda’s orders, while at the same time the Netherlands has serious doubts whether the Ingabire lawsuit will result in a fair trial? The Justice Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs haven’t communicated with one another properly.”
“Of course, the Netherlands complies with foreign judicial requests. But in this country this is a very sensitive case. In the Netherlands we don’t want to participate in political persecution,” said Recourt.
Mrs Ingabire, leader of the Rwandan opposition party UDF, is imprisoned in the capital Kigali, where she is awaiting trial. The Justice Department in Rwanda suspects her of terrorist activities and is looking for evidence.
After the 1994 genocide, Ingabire left with her husband and children for the Netherlands, where they started a new life. On Monday, Dutch detectives searched the family house in Zevenhuizen, near Rotterdam.
Joel Voordewind, MP for the ChristenUnie, is upset. “Why would the Dutch government carry out orders from Rwanda, while that very same government is cutting the direct financial support to Rwanda out of concern for the human rights situation in the country?”
Rwanda and the Netherlands don’t have an extradition treaty, but they are entitled to mutual legal assistance. “A request for a search can be a kind of legal assistance,” says Gert-Jan Knoops, Dutch lawyer and an expert in international law. “The Justice Minister needs to approve every single request.”
Christian-Democrat MP Cortuz Coşkün is opposed to politically-fuelled lawsuits. Still, in this case he exercises much restraint. “Any request from Rwanda or China could turn into a license not to conduct a judicial inquiry. Even if the suspect might have misbehaved. You don’t know what’s behind this search, and neither do I!”
Both PvdA and ChristenUnie will raise questions on the issue in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
by Sophie van Leeuwen
15 December 2010
The search of the premises of Rwandan politician Victoire Ingabire on Monday morning in Zevenhuizen, the Netherlands, has shocked politicians in the political capital The Hague. MPs from Dutch parties PvdA (Social-Democrats) and the ChristenUnie (Christian Union) demand an explanation from Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten.
“This raises many questions,” said Jeroen Recourt, PvdA MP and judiciary spokesman. “How can it be that the Department of Justice obediently conducts a search, upon Rwanda’s orders, while at the same time the Netherlands has serious doubts whether the Ingabire lawsuit will result in a fair trial? The Justice Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs haven’t communicated with one another properly.”
“Of course, the Netherlands complies with foreign judicial requests. But in this country this is a very sensitive case. In the Netherlands we don’t want to participate in political persecution,” said Recourt.
Mrs Ingabire, leader of the Rwandan opposition party UDF, is imprisoned in the capital Kigali, where she is awaiting trial. The Justice Department in Rwanda suspects her of terrorist activities and is looking for evidence.
After the 1994 genocide, Ingabire left with her husband and children for the Netherlands, where they started a new life. On Monday, Dutch detectives searched the family house in Zevenhuizen, near Rotterdam.
Joel Voordewind, MP for the ChristenUnie, is upset. “Why would the Dutch government carry out orders from Rwanda, while that very same government is cutting the direct financial support to Rwanda out of concern for the human rights situation in the country?”
Rwanda and the Netherlands don’t have an extradition treaty, but they are entitled to mutual legal assistance. “A request for a search can be a kind of legal assistance,” says Gert-Jan Knoops, Dutch lawyer and an expert in international law. “The Justice Minister needs to approve every single request.”
Christian-Democrat MP Cortuz Coşkün is opposed to politically-fuelled lawsuits. Still, in this case he exercises much restraint. “Any request from Rwanda or China could turn into a license not to conduct a judicial inquiry. Even if the suspect might have misbehaved. You don’t know what’s behind this search, and neither do I!”
Both PvdA and ChristenUnie will raise questions on the issue in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
14 December, 2010
Victoire Ingabire's home in the Netherlands searched by Dutch Ministry of Justice.
Radio Netherlands
13 December 2010
Victoire Ingabire’s home in the village of Zevenhuizen, close to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, was raided on Monday morning around 9 am (local time) by 12 officers of the Rotterdam Department of Justice. Both Mrs. Ingabire’s husband, Lin Muyizere, and the Department of Justice confirmed the news to Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
According to Mr. Muyizere, the officers did not show a search warrant, although they said they were in possession of one. They searched the entire house and a vehicle.
Several documents and computer equipment were taken away by police for further investigation. In case of any relevancy, the equipment and documents will be sent to the prosecutor's office in Rwanda.
A spokesman for the Rotterdam Department of Justice said the search has been conducted under the instruction of the Rwandan authorities. A second search party was carried out in the Dutch town of Bilthoven.
"Why would the Dutch government execute orders from Kigali while cutting direct aid to Rwanda because of violations of human rights?" asked Joel Voordewind from the Dutch political party ChristenUnie today in parliament.
Mrs. Ingabire's lawyer Jan Hofdijk, who reported the incident at the police station, is furious.
WNJ Editor's Note: Mrs. Ingabire's daughter has stated that the Dutch courts produced a warrant that was presented in person 3 hours after the Dutch police began searching the house. The search began at 6 AM and the warrant was produced at 9 AM Dutch time. Until 9 AM, family members present at the home did not know why the Dutch police were searching the home.
13 December 2010
Victoire Ingabire’s home in the village of Zevenhuizen, close to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, was raided on Monday morning around 9 am (local time) by 12 officers of the Rotterdam Department of Justice. Both Mrs. Ingabire’s husband, Lin Muyizere, and the Department of Justice confirmed the news to Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
According to Mr. Muyizere, the officers did not show a search warrant, although they said they were in possession of one. They searched the entire house and a vehicle.
Several documents and computer equipment were taken away by police for further investigation. In case of any relevancy, the equipment and documents will be sent to the prosecutor's office in Rwanda.
A spokesman for the Rotterdam Department of Justice said the search has been conducted under the instruction of the Rwandan authorities. A second search party was carried out in the Dutch town of Bilthoven.
"Why would the Dutch government execute orders from Kigali while cutting direct aid to Rwanda because of violations of human rights?" asked Joel Voordewind from the Dutch political party ChristenUnie today in parliament.
Mrs. Ingabire's lawyer Jan Hofdijk, who reported the incident at the police station, is furious.
WNJ Editor's Note: Mrs. Ingabire's daughter has stated that the Dutch courts produced a warrant that was presented in person 3 hours after the Dutch police began searching the house. The search began at 6 AM and the warrant was produced at 9 AM Dutch time. Until 9 AM, family members present at the home did not know why the Dutch police were searching the home.
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