The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, located in Arusha, Tanzania, has authority to prosecute defendants for genocide and other serious violations of international humanitarian law that occurred in Rwanda between January 1 and December 31, 1994. The court may also prosecute citizens of Rwanda who committed genocide or other serious violations of international law in neighboring countries during the same period. The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 955 establishing the court on November 8, 1994.
Beginning in April 1994, Hutu extremists waged a 100 day campaign that resulted in the murder of at least 800,000 Tutsi men, women, and children, as well as many moderate Hutus. This genocide also included systematic rape and sexual violence against countless Tutsi women and the orphaning of thousands of children.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda’s mission is to promote justice and accountability for crimes committed in Rwanda and neighboring countries in 1994. By holding high-ranking individuals who committed serious violations of international humanitarian law accountable, the court seeks to deter other countries from perpetrating similar crimes and to end impunity for serious violations of international humanitarian law. One case of note before the court was the trial of Jean-Paul Akayesu, the mayor of Tabu, Rwanda. The Akayesu case resulted in the court’s first successful conviction, held on appeal, related to genocide.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda’s completion strategy envisions a close of trials by the end of 2008 and appeals by the end of 2010. Pursuant to this strategy, the tribunal intends to refer intermediate and low-level defendants to national courts while focusing its energies on prosecuting the most high-ranking officials.
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