Lenah
Follow us
Justice Hub
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us
No Result
View All Result
Justice Hub
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us
No Result
View All Result
Justice Hub
No Result
View All Result

ICTR: With a last loud noise, fade to black

December 14, 2015
in Justice Explained, News
0
0
Home Justice Explained
FacebookTwitterLinkedInWhatsappEmail
The UN-backed Tribunal for Rwanda has always been a bit outside the regular circuit of commentary on social media. Maybe because it was – unfortunately – an afterthought to its sister tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Maybe because it’s based in Arusha, Tanzania. Its work seems to get less promotion and less understanding than other international courts. But the crimes it’s dealing with are huge, complex and fundamental.
But this week the focus is fully on the tribunal (ICTR). Why? Because it’s stopped. Shut down. Closed its doors. Time for some sober assessments.

Tweet.

Tweet.

Oh yes, that’s one of the critiques: the ICTR hasn’t actually tried that many people. And Rwanda itself has via a local system of hearings known as gacaca.
And then, on this final day, the Court made one of those decisions that are difficult to explain. Several people have been held by the tribunal for more than fifteen years now. Six stood trial together in what was known as the Butare case. Convicted of different forms of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, they received sentences ranging from 20 years to life. The appeals judges upheld the convictions. But reduced the sentences.
That hasn’t gone down well among some Rwandans.

Tweet.

And for those who follow the details, the convoluted legal reasoning in the press release had them foxed.

Tweet.

Now we are on the subject, though, it might be time to mention some of the other things about this court that people are worried about. Those who have been acquitted by the ICTR have nowhere to go. They are stuck in a safe house in Arusha. And they’ve received no compensation for the time they’ve spent locked up. There’s no provision for that in the statutes.

Tweet.

And then there’s also a row brewing over a former ICTR fugitive, one of the nine poster boys they’d wanted to capture. Rwanda is due to take the case over. But now the Democratic Republic Congo thinks otherwise.

Tweet.

Prisoners as political pawns: the ICTR must be pleased to have dodged that particular diplomatic dogfight.

Lead image: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (Photo: Larissa Lee Beck/DPA)

Tags: ICTR (International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda)Justice News
ShareTweetShareSendSend

Janet H. Anderson

Janet H. Anderson is the Project Manager at Justice Hub.

Related Posts

ICL Media Review: Russian veterans seek ICC investigation into use of mercenaries in Syria
ICL Media Review

ICL Media Review: Russian veterans seek ICC investigation into use of mercenaries in Syria

by ICL Media Review
November 18, 2019
0
26

In this week's review, news about the ECCC conviction of Chea and Samphan for genocide, the adjournment of Kwoyelo’s trial...

Read more
NPWJ: Trump’s Transgender Military Ban Gets a Boost

NPWJ: Trump’s Transgender Military Ban Gets a Boost

January 24, 2019
42
ICL Media Review: Charles Taylor’s ex-wife pleads not guilty in UK trial on torture in Liberia

ICL Media Review: Charles Taylor’s ex-wife pleads not guilty in UK trial on torture in Liberia

January 24, 2019
36
ICL Media Review: Uganda ordered to compensate former LRA fighter Thomas Kwoyelo

ICL Media Review: Uganda ordered to compensate former LRA fighter Thomas Kwoyelo

January 24, 2019
29
NPWJ: European Parliament to hold hearing on the current human rights and humanitarian situation in Yemen

NPWJ: European Parliament to hold hearing on the current human rights and humanitarian situation in Yemen

January 22, 2019
45

Janet H. Anderson

Janet H. Anderson is the Project Manager at Justice Hub.

Justice Hub

Justice Hub is an online platform aimed at a worldwide audience of 18-35 year olds, especially in countries where people are looking for sustainable and innovative solutions to problems of justice, peace and security. Justice can feel too abstract, too often owned by experts. We make the conversations lively and accessible.

Follow Us

Quick Links

  • Featured
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

 

  HPPJ Forum Login
Creative Commons Licence
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
No Result
View All Result
  • My Justice
  • News
  • Insights
  • Justice Explained
  • About Us

© 2018 Justice Hub

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

*By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Login

Lost password?
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.

REPUBLISHING TERMS

You may republish this article online or in print under our Creative Commons license. You may not edit or shorten the text, you must attribute the article to Aeon and you must include the author’s name in your republication.

If you have any questions, please email nsharafa@gmail.com

License

Creative Commons License AttributionCreative Commons Attribution
ICTR: With a last loud noise, fade to black