04 Sep ICTR Defense Attorney Arrested for Genocide
The Australian is reporting that Tanzanian police have arrested Callixte Gakwaya, a defence attorney at the ICTR, on suspicion of involvement in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.
“He was arrested yesterday. He is now in custody,” regional police commander Basilio Matei said.
According to the arrest warrant, Gakwaya – who leads the defence team of a genocide suspect whose case comes up before the ICTR in January – supervised road blocks and massacred Tutsis as they tried to flee the Rwandan capital.
“Several Tutsis were killed,” according to the warrant.
He is also accused of personally killing Tutsis who sought refuge in his home.
Rwanda’s representative at the tribunal, Aloys Mutabingwa, confirmed Gakwaya’s arrest and said it showed “excellent co-operation with Tanzanian police”.
“Tanzania can refer him to its courts or extradite him to Rwanda. All we want is justice to be done,” Mr Mutabingwa said.
Additional information about the Gakwaya case is available in an earlier post, here.
On this subject, I am enclosing the following release from the ICTR Registry. Without comment on the Rwandan government’s actual claim, there is an important question of international versus national jurisdiction. Arusha, 5 September 2006 Arrest of Counsel Callixte Gakwaya Following the arrest of Defence Counsel Callixte Gakwaya, Lead Counsel for the accused Yusuf Munyakasi, on Friday 1 September 2006, the Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Mr Adama Dieng, expressed his strong concern to the Tanzanian authorities and requested clarification of the reasons for the arrest. Mr Dieng notes that the Tribunal did not receive any prior notice of the intention to arrest Mr.Gakwaya and that no prior consultations have occurred in respect of the case between officials of the ICTR and the Tanzanian police force. As soon as the Tribunal was informed appropriate measures were taken to secure the welfare of Mr. Gakwaya in police custody. Security officers have visited the Central police station in Arusha on several occasions and have spoken to Mr. Gakwaya. The Chief of the Security of the ICTR has discussed the circumstances of the arrest with his counterpart in the Tanzanian police, seeking further clarification of the circumstances of the… Read more »