Emmanuel Rukundo
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel Rukundo is a Rwanda
n Roman Catholic priest who in 2009 was convicted of genocide
and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
(ICTR) for his participation in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
Rukundo was born in Kabgayi, Gitarama Province
, Rwanda. He was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church
in 1991. In 1993, he became a chaplain
in the Rwandan military.
Rukundo was also head to the St. Leon Minor Seminary in the Gitarama at the time of the 1994 Genocide. According to findings by the ICTR, he ordered Hutu
soldiers to abduct and murder Tutsi
refugees who were seeking shelter at St. Leon's. Rukundo was also found guilty of personally sexually assaulting a young Tutsi woman.
Following the genocide, Rukundo fled to Switzerland
, where he was granted asylum as a refugee. He was arrested by Swiss officials in July 2001 after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the ICTR. Rukundo fought his extradition in the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland
, but his case was dismissed and on 20 September 2001 he was sent to Arusha
, Tanzania
, to stand trial before the ICTR.
Rukundo's trial began on 15 November 2006 and was completed in February 2008. In February 2009, the Trial Chamber of the ICTR found him guilty of one count of genocide
and multiple counts of murder
as a crime against humanity
. The Trial Chamber sentenced him to 25 years' imprisonment. As of July 2010, his case is on appeal.
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
n Roman Catholic priest who in 2009 was convicted of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 955 in order to judge people responsible for the Rwandan Genocide and other serious violations of international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan...
(ICTR) for his participation in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
Rukundo was born in Kabgayi, Gitarama Province
Gitarama Province
Gitarama was one of the former twelve provinces of Rwanda and was situated in the centre of the country, to the west of the capital Kigali....
, Rwanda. He was ordained a priest in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in 1991. In 1993, he became a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
in the Rwandan military.
Rukundo was also head to the St. Leon Minor Seminary in the Gitarama at the time of the 1994 Genocide. According to findings by the ICTR, he ordered Hutu
Hutu
The Hutu , or Abahutu, are a Central African people, living mainly in Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DR Congo.-Population statistics:The Hutu are the largest of the three peoples in Burundi and Rwanda; according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency, 84% of Rwandans and 85% of Burundians...
soldiers to abduct and murder Tutsi
Tutsi
The Tutsi , or Abatutsi, are an ethnic group in Central Africa. Historically they were often referred to as the Watussi or Watusi. They are the second largest caste in Rwanda and Burundi, the other two being the Hutu and the Twa ....
refugees who were seeking shelter at St. Leon's. Rukundo was also found guilty of personally sexually assaulting a young Tutsi woman.
Following the genocide, Rukundo fled to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, where he was granted asylum as a refugee. He was arrested by Swiss officials in July 2001 after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the ICTR. Rukundo fought his extradition in the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland
Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland
The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland is the supreme court of Switzerland. It is located in Lausanne.According to the Constitution of Switzerland, the court has jurisdiction over violations of:*federal law;*public international law;*intercantonal law;...
, but his case was dismissed and on 20 September 2001 he was sent to Arusha
Arusha
Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Arusha Region, which claims a population of 1,288,088, including 281,608 for the Arusha District . Arusha is surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, to stand trial before the ICTR.
Rukundo's trial began on 15 November 2006 and was completed in February 2008. In February 2009, the Trial Chamber of the ICTR found him guilty of one count of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
and multiple counts of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
as a crime against humanity
Crime against humanity
Crimes against humanity, as defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Explanatory Memorandum, "are particularly odious offenses in that they constitute a serious attack on human dignity or grave humiliation or a degradation of one or more human beings...
. The Trial Chamber sentenced him to 25 years' imprisonment. As of July 2010, his case is on appeal.
External links
- Trial Watch: Emmanuel Rukundo, trial-ch.org, accessed 2010-07-06
- ICTR: Rukundo, Emmanuel : ICTR documents relating to Rukundo's case