ICTR assessing potential prison spaces for convicts

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) is still holding talks with several countries in Africa and Europe to see if they are prepared to provide prison space for genocide convicts. A spokesman, quoted by the BBC, said the Tribunal had signed a deal with Mali, that similar deals with Zambia and Benin were imminent, and that it was assessing the adequacy of facilities in several other countries which had expressed their willingness to accept prisoners.

It was not expected that convicts of the ICTR would be mixed in the same cells as national prisoners, and the Tribunal would ensure that minimum UN standards were respected in the service of sentences, according to a Tribunal statement on Monday. Five convicted prisoners are currently being held at the court in Arusha, northern Tanzania, pending appeal.