Appeal hearing begins for Rwandan Doctor convicted over 1994 genocide
The appeal trial of Eugène Rwamucyo, a former Rwandan doctor sentenced to 27 years in prison for complicity in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis, opened in Paris on Tuesday. The 67-year-old maintains his innocence and faces the possibility of a life sentence.
Eugène Rwamucyo appeared before the Paris Assize Court on Tuesday to challenge his 2024 conviction for complicity in genocide, complicity in crimes against humanity and participation in a conspiracy to prepare those crimes during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda.
The former occupational health physician, now 67, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after judges found him guilty of supporting genocidal actions carried out by the Hutu-led regime.
The appeal trial is expected to run until July 17.
New legal strategy
For the new proceedings, Rwamucyo has completely overhauled his defence team, replacing his previous lawyers with a group of seven attorneys.
His lawyers say he continues to deny all accusations and intends to challenge both the interpretation of the evidence and the conclusions reached during the first trial.
The defence argues that judicial findings must be based on legal proof rather than historical narratives, while insisting that Rwamucyo has consistently maintained his innocence.
Allegations linked to the genocide
Prosecutors accuse Rwamucyo of supporting Hutu authorities during the genocide that killed between 800,000 and one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus between April and July 1994.
Among the allegations are claims that he incited violence against Tutsis, including during a speech delivered at the University of Butare in May 1994.
He was also accused of involvement in the burial of tens of thousands of victims in mass graves in Butare and of participating in actions targeting wounded survivors.
First court found no doubt about guilt
During the initial trial, the Paris Assize Court said it had no doubt about Rwamucyo’s responsibility for the crimes for which he was convicted.
Judges ruled that his role in organizing and facilitating the disposal of bodies constituted a genocidal act, even though they did not consider him a direct perpetrator of mass killings.
The court concluded that the gravity of the offenses justified a 27-year prison sentence.
Hundreds of civil parties represented
The appeal proceedings will again include approximately 530 civil parties, reflecting the scale and significance of the case for survivors and victims’ families.
The trial is being conducted under the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows French courts to prosecute individuals accused of serious international crimes regardless of where those crimes were committed.
The case is one of several genocide-related proceedings brought before French courts in connection with the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.
A landmark case in the pursuit of justice
The appeal is being closely watched by legal experts, survivors and human rights organizations as France continues efforts to prosecute suspects linked to one of the darkest chapters in modern history.
With Rwamucyo again proclaiming his innocence and prosecutors defending the original verdict, the trial is expected to revisit key questions about individual responsibility, complicity and accountability for genocide more than three decades after the events in Rwanda.
