The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, composed of Judge Carmel Agius, presiding, Judge Mehmet Güney, Judge Fausto Pocar, Judge Liu Daqun and Judge Theodor Meron, heard oral arguments today regarding the appeal by Tharcisse RENZAHO against the Judgement rendered by Trial Chamber I on 14 July 2009.

The case concerns Mr. Renzaho’s responsibility in relation to events that took place in Kigali-Ville prefecture between April and June 1994.

The Trial Chamber found Mr. Renzaho guilty, pursuant to Article 6(1) of the Statute of the Tribunal of genocide (Count 1); murder as a crime against humanity (Count 3); and murder as a serious violation of Article 3 Common to the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol II (Count 5). In addition, it convicted Renzaho pursuant to Article 6(3) of the Statute for his responsibility as a superior for genocide (Count 1); murder as a crime against humanity (Count 3); rape as a crime against humanity (Count 4); and rape as a serious violation of Article 3 Common to the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol II (Count 6). The Trial Chamber imposed a single sentence of imprisonment for the remainder of Renzaho’s life.

Renzaho alleges that the Trial Chamber committed numerous errors of law and fact and accordingly requests the Appeals Chamber to overturn his convictions and to order his release or, in the alternative, to quash his life sentence and substitute it with an appropriate sentence. The Prosecution opposes the relief sought and asks the Appeals Chamber to dismiss all grounds of the appeal.

Renzaho was born on 17 July 1944 in the Kabare-1 sector, Kigarama commune, Kibungo prefecture, Rwanda. A Rwandan Army Officer, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in July 1992. In 1994, he was prefect of Kigali-Ville prefecture, a position he held since October 1990. He left Rwanda in early July 1994 and was arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”) on 29 September 2002.