France refuses to extradite Rwandan doctor

A French judge has blocked the extradition to Rwanda of Eugene Rwamucyo, a Rwandan doctor, who is suspected of participating in the 1994 genocide. This move by the court of appeals in Versailles puts an end to the call by a Kigali judge to have Rwamucyo charged.

AFP

The Versailles court also freed the Rwandan doctor, who was arrested at a funeral in the Paris area last May. Rwanda had issued an international arrest warrant for him in 2007.

"This is a relief because this was a very politicised case. Therefore, it is a victory of human rights over politics," said Philippe Meilhac, Rwamucyo's lawyer.

Rwamucyo was accused of participating in meetings held by genocidaire leaders in Butare, in south Rwanda in 1994. The prime minister at the time, Jean Kambanda, presided over these meetings. Kambanda was sentenced to life in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed between April and July 1994 during the Rwandan genocide.