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France rejects Rwanda's Habyarimana extradition bid | France rejects Rwanda's Habyarimana extradition bid |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A French court has rejected a Rwandan bid to extradite the widow of ex-President Juvenal Habyarimana, whose killing sparked the 1994 genocide. | A French court has rejected a Rwandan bid to extradite the widow of ex-President Juvenal Habyarimana, whose killing sparked the 1994 genocide. |
Rwanda accuses Agathe Habyarimana, 69, of helping to plan the genocide. She denies the accusations. | |
Rwandan Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugaramatold the BBC that he respected the ruling, but said she should now face trial in France. | |
More than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus died in the massacres. | More than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus died in the massacres. |
Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was killed when his plane was shot down above Kigali airport on 6 April 1994. | Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, was killed when his plane was shot down above Kigali airport on 6 April 1994. |
Within hours a campaign of violence, carried out mostly by Hutus against Tutsis, spread from the capital throughout the country. | Within hours a campaign of violence, carried out mostly by Hutus against Tutsis, spread from the capital throughout the country. |
The Hutu militias blamed the Tutsis for downing the president's plane, although it has never been proved who was responsible. | The Hutu militias blamed the Tutsis for downing the president's plane, although it has never been proved who was responsible. |
It is widely believed that Hutu extremists and the government had long planned the genocide. | It is widely believed that Hutu extremists and the government had long planned the genocide. |
After the Paris court gave its judgement, Mrs Habyarimana told journalists: "I'm relieved, I've always had faith in the French justice system." | After the Paris court gave its judgement, Mrs Habyarimana told journalists: "I'm relieved, I've always had faith in the French justice system." |
Mr Karugarama told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that Rwanda would respect the ruling "for whatever it is worth". | |
"Whether we are happy with it or not is a different matter," he said. | |
He called for Mrs Habyarimana to be tried in the French courts. | |
She already faces a case in France's civil courts, brought by rights activists in 2008. | |
But her lawyer, Philippe Meilhac, said the extradition ruling would cause problems for the civil case. | But her lawyer, Philippe Meilhac, said the extradition ruling would cause problems for the civil case. |
"We can't stay like this for ever. The very serious accusations against Mrs Habyarimana are old and completely denied by Mrs Habyarimana," he said. | "We can't stay like this for ever. The very serious accusations against Mrs Habyarimana are old and completely denied by Mrs Habyarimana," he said. |
France and Rwanda have no extradition treaty, so each case is dealt with separately. | France and Rwanda have no extradition treaty, so each case is dealt with separately. |
In recent years French courts have turned down several extradition requests for genocide suspects on the basis that the individuals would not get a fair trial. | In recent years French courts have turned down several extradition requests for genocide suspects on the basis that the individuals would not get a fair trial. |
Rwanda's Tutsi-led government, which seized power after the genocide, has often accused France of not doing enough to help provide justice for the victims. | Rwanda's Tutsi-led government, which seized power after the genocide, has often accused France of not doing enough to help provide justice for the victims. |