Jérôme Bicamumpaka
Encyclopedia
Jérôme Bicamumpaka is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Rwanda
's Interim Government. He was officially in office from April 1994 until July 1994, but fled the country in July 1994, and was arrested in Cameroon
in 1999 on charges of
, murder, rape, and crimes against humanity charges in 2008. He remains accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crime
s. The judgment in the Government II trial is expected in August 2011.
On 30 September 2011, Jerome Bicamumpaka was acquitted of all charges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He was immediately released from custody and reunited with his family.
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...
's Interim Government. He was officially in office from April 1994 until July 1994, but fled the country in July 1994, and was arrested in Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
in 1999 on charges of
conspiracy to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide and direct and public incitement to commit genocide. He is also charged under the indictment of 13 September 1999 with murder, extermination, rape (crimes against humanity) and two counts of serious violations of Common Article 3 of the Geneva ConventionsHe was partially acquitted of conspiracy to commit genocideGeneva ConventionsThe Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war...
.
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...
, murder, rape, and crimes against humanity charges in 2008. He remains accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s. The judgment in the Government II trial is expected in August 2011.
On 30 September 2011, Jerome Bicamumpaka was acquitted of all charges at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. He was immediately released from custody and reunited with his family.