NAIROBI
A sub-regional seminar on humanitarian law and human rights in situations of armed conflict, which opened in Butare on Wednesday, was set to finish on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. The topics addressed at the seminar, jointly sponsored by the Rwandan National University and the ICRC, included the origin and evolution of humanitarian rights, the origin and role of the Rwandan Red Cross, international humanitarian law, Rwandan national law, women and child victims of humanitarian violations and the responsibility of military officers in armed conflicts, the Rwanda News Agency reported.
In celebrating the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC on Thursday called on the world to reject the idea that war is inevitable and to work tirelessly to eradicate its underlying causes. It also demanded of all those involved in armed conflicts or in a position to influence the course of such conflicts that they respect the principles and rules of international humanitarian law.
Security Council formally appoints new ICTR prosecutor
The UN Security Council on Wednesday formally accepted the resignation of Louise Arbour, the prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in Arusha, Tanzania, and unanimously approved the appointment of Carla Del Ponte, currently Attorney-General of Switzerland as her replacement. Both Arbour's resignation and Del Ponte's appointment will be effective on 15 September, a UN press release stated.
Accused to appeal extradition order to US Supreme Court
Meanwhile, the defence lawyer of genocide suspect Elizaphan Ntakirutimana, who an American appeals court ruled on 5 August should be extradited to stand trial at the ICTR, has said he plans to take the case to the US Supreme Court. Ntakirutimana's defence counsel, Ramsey Clark, told the independent Hirondelle news agency his client would surrender to the ICTR "if it's the last word of the law" but that it was planned to file a stay of execution on any transfer to Arusha until his case has had a chance to be heard at the US Supreme Court. If it agrees to review the case, that could take another year.
Mother and son plead not guilty to additional charges
Former Rwandan Minister for Family Welfare Pauline Nyiramasuhuko and her son on Thursday pleaded not guilty before the ICTR to new genocide and rape charges. On Tuesday, the court granted a prosecutor's request to amend their joint indictment, bringing the number of charges from seven to eleven, Hirondelle reported on Thursday. The new counts include conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, and rape. Nyiramasuhuko, who is the first woman to be charged with rape as a war crime and crime against humanity, stands accused of encouraging rape as part of widespread and systematic attacks on civilians on "political, ethnic and racial grounds", the agency added.
Efforts to establish multiple trials continue
The ICTR has also pushed ahead with procedures to join two other groups of accused, known as the 'military group' and the 'Cyangugu group', for multiple trials, Internews agency reported on Wednesday. The so-called military group comprises four accused - including the former top adviser to the Rwandan Defence Ministry, Theoneste Bagosora -, while the 'Cyangugu group' includes former Minister of Transport and Communications Andre Ntagerura, former prefect of Cyangugu Emmanuel Bagambiki and former military commander Samuel Imanishimwe.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions