UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR RWANDA

Description from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR or UNICTR), or the Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda (TPIR), is an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 955 to judge and punish people responsible for the Rwandan Genocide and other serious violations of the international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan citizens in nearby states, between 1 January and 31 December 1994.

In 1995, the UNICTR was moved to Arusha, Tanzania under Resolution 977. (From 2006 onward, Arusha also became the location of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights). In 1998 the operation of the Tribunal was expanded. Through several resolutions, the Security Council called on the Tribunal to complete its investigations by end of 2004, complete all trial activities by end of 2008, and complete all work in 2012.

The tribunal has jurisdiction over the genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, which are defined as violations of Common Article Three and Additional Protocol II of the Geneva Conventions (dealing with war crimes committed during internal conflicts).

Currently (January 2011), the Tribunal has finished 52 trials and convicted 36 accused persons. Another 21 trials are in progress, and 2 individuals are awaiting trial in detention. 10 others are still at large, some suspected to be dead. The first trial, of Jean-Paul Akayesu, began in 1997. According to the ICTR's Completion Strategy, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1503, all first-instance cases were to have completed trial by the end of 2008 (this date was later extended to the end of 2009) and all work is to be completed by the end of 2011, although this is subject to change.

For more information: the UNICTR’s website.

Click on UNICTR Archives below to view materials from National Museum’s repository.