LAST CHANCE OF JUSTICE FOR A PRIEST’S VICTIMS Wenceslas Munyeshyaka Context Pending proceedings in France against a Rwandan priest for crimes committed during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda Facts Wenceslas Munyeshyaka was the former head of the Sainte-Famille parish in Kigali. He is accused of being involved in the mass executions that took place on 17 and 22 April 1994 in the Sainte-Famille parish. He is suspected of repeatedly participating in the selection of Tutsi refugees to be murdered, of leaving them to die of thirst, of reporting to the authorities those who tried to help them, and of raping several women. After leaving Rwanda, he became a priest in France. Suspect Procedure before the International Criminal Tribunal for Country of residence Rwanda of suspect On 20 July 2005, the International Former head of the Sainte-Famille parish in Kigali France Charges Complicity in genocide, crimes against humanity and torture Developments in 2018 Following a hearing in January 2018, on 21 June 2018, the Investigation Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Paris (Chambre de l’instruction de la Cour d’Appel de Paris) confirmed the dismissal of the case against Wenceslas Munyeshyaka. The civil parties appealed against the dismissal of the case to the French Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation). Current status Case dismissed; last recourse ongoing Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) indicted Wenceslas Munyeshyaka for genocide and crimes against humanity including rape, extermination and murder. In 2007, the ICTR issued an arrest warrant requesting that the French government arrest him. Finally, on 20 November 2007, the ICTR referred the case to the French authorities. Procedure in France On 12 July 1995, a complaint was filed against Wenceslas Munyeshyaka by several French associations (the “Collectif des Parties Civiles pour le Rwanda”, Survie, LICRA), as well as individual plaintiffs. On 25 July 1995, an investigation was opened into genocide, crimes against humanity, and torture. The FIDH and its French member organization, the Ligue des Droits de l’Homme (LDH), joined the case as civil parties in 2005. On 8 June 2004, almost 10 years after the investigation opened, the European Court of Human Rights condemned France for exceeding reasonable time requirements. 37 In parallel, Wenceslas Munyeshyaka was tried in absentia in Rwanda and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2006. Proceedings resumed when the case was transferred in January 2012 to the French specialized unit for the prosecution of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and torture within the Paris High Court (hereinafter “the specialized unit”). On 19 August 2015, the prosecutor of the specialized unit requested a dismissal of the case against Wenceslas Munyeshyaka. On 2 October 2015, the investigative judges dismissed the proceedings against him. The civil parties appealed this decision. On 8 November 2017, the Investigation Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Paris postponed the appeal hearing to 31 January 2018, following the dismissal of the case on 2 October 2015 by the investigative judges, in order to review the petitions submitted by the civil parties. On 22 June 2018, the Investigation Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Paris issued a decision upholding the dismissal of the case. The civil parties have appealed against this decision to the French Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation). Read more about the case