ICTR/BRUGUIERE - ICTR DEFENCE LAWYERS WANT KAGAME TO BE PROSECUTED FOR WAR CRIMES
Hirondelle News Agency, Arusha
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FONDATION HIRONDELLE - HIRONDELLE NEWS AGENCY IN ARUSHA
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA
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ICTR/BRUGUIERE
ICTR DEFENCE LAWYERS WANT KAGAME TO BE PROSECUTED FOR WAR CRIMES
Arusha, November 21 2006 (FH) - Following the investigation conducted by Judge Jean-Louis Bruguière, the defence lawyers association (ADAD) at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) asked the Tribunal on Tuesday afternoon for the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame to be prosecuted for war crimes.
Bruguière's investigation was transmitted last Friday to the public prosecutor. The French judge notably suggests that a demand concerning the sitting president should be filed with the United Nations. Paul Kagame is said to have initiated the attack that led to the death of the President of Rwanda and the President of Burunidi, Juvenal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira.
According to the defence attorneys, the ICTR has been gathering evidences pertaining to the Rwandan president's involvement in the attack against the plane since 1997 but these proofs have been denied by Louise Harbour, the prosecutor at the time. The ADAD consequently calls on the prosecutor to immediately start legal proceedings against Mr. Kagame or it will ask the president of the tribunal to deliver him a compliance mandate.
Peter Erlinder, the ADAD's president, added that other evidences accusing Paul Kagame have also been presented before the ICTR in « Militaries I », the trial of the most important military officials of the regime formerly in power and in which Mr. Erlinder pleads.
One of the leaders of the ADAD, Mr. John Philpot, also declared that Mr. Bruguière's investigation seemed to be very « rigorous » and that the French magistrate had « searched for evidences before pressing charges » as opposed to the ICTR's prosecutor who, according to John Philpot, « takes criminal actions before gathering evidences ».
PB/MG
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