Tens of thousands of genocide suspects to be released

As many as 30,000 detainees in Rwandan jails who are suspected of playing a role in the 1994 genocide could be released as early as Friday.

Rwanda's chief prosecutor, Jean de Dieu Mucyo, who is responsible for drawing up the list of those to be released said the names were likely to be approved by the cabinet on Thursday.

"We hope this exercise will kick off this Friday," he added.

Currently 70,000 out of the 87,000 people in Rwandan prisons are accused of genocide-related crimes. Many have never been put on trail.

Mucyo said releasing the 30,000 would help expedite trials but cautioned that the detainees were only being released provisionally and would not be given amnesty.

Those who committed crimes must still face the local courts known as ‘gacaca’, he said.

Ninety percent of the people to be released have confessed to playing a key role in the genocide, Mucyo said, but they do not fall in the category of the top planners.

Many are also sick or elderly. Others were below 18 years of age when they were imprisoned.

Before the detainees return home they will be taken for a month of education on issues of national reconciliation and unity, Mucyo said.

Some survivors of the genocide have complained about detainees being liberated saying that they have made false confessions in order to secure their release.

As many as 24,000 detainees were released by presidential decree in 2003.