Appeals court confirms conviction over role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi
A French appeals court has upheld the 27-year prison sentence handed to former Rwandan doctor Eugène Rwamucyo for his role in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The ruling, delivered by the Paris appeals court late Friday into Saturday, confirms Rwamucyo’s conviction for complicity in genocide, complicity in crimes against humanity, and participation in a criminal conspiracy to prepare those crimes.
However, the court acquitted the 67-year-old of the separate charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Appeal follows 2024 conviction
Rwamucyo had previously been sentenced to 27 years in prison in October 2024. He appealed the ruling, leading to a six-week trial in Paris that began on June 9.
Following the appeal, the court decided to uphold the original sentence.
The case was heard under France’s universal jurisdiction laws, which allow French courts to prosecute certain international crimes committed outside the country, including genocide and crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors detail allegations
According to prosecutors, Rwamucyo became involved with anti-Tutsi extremists after returning to Rwanda from Russia in the late 1980s, where he had been studying.
They alleged that he promoted anti-Tutsi propaganda before the genocide and later took part in crimes committed during the 1994 massacres.
Prosecutors also accused him of participating in the killing of wounded patients while working at a university and assisting in burying victims in mass graves in an effort to conceal evidence of the genocide.
The prosecution relied on witness testimony presented during the trial.
Defence rejects accusations
Rwamucyo has consistently denied any involvement in the genocide.
His legal team argued that the allegations are politically motivated and linked to his opposition to Rwanda’s current government.
The defence maintains that there is insufficient evidence to support the accusations against him.
Continuing pursuit of accountability
The decision marks another significant case in international efforts to prosecute those accused of participating in the 1994 genocide, during which an estimated 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were killed over approximately 100 days.
France has increasingly used its universal jurisdiction laws to investigate and prosecute genocide suspects living within its borders.
Human rights groups say such cases are important in ensuring accountability for crimes against humanity and delivering justice decades after the genocide.
