The Only Woman on Genocide Trial at ITCR to Start Her Defence on Monday

January 28, 2005 - (Hirondelle News Agency - Lausanne) The team defending Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, the only woman so far to be indicted for genocide and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) begins its case on Monday.

Nyiramasuhuko, the former Rwandan minister of Family and Women Affairs, is charged with 11 counts including genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide and rape. She has become the first woman to be charged for rape as a crime against humanity.

She is jointly tried with five others from Butare prefecture (South Rwanda) including her son and alleged militia leader, Shalom Arsene Ntahobali. They have all pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor called 58 witnesses when he finally finished his case on November 5, last year. The trial opened June 12, 2001.

Several prosecution witnesses alleged that Nyiramasuhuko incited Interahamwe militia and other Hutu civilians to rape and kill Tutsi girls and women.

The others on trial with Nyiramasuhuko are former prefects (Governors) of Butare, Sylvain Nsabimana and Alphonse Nteziryayo, and two former mayors: Joseph Kanyabashi and Elie Ndayambaje of Ngoma and Muganza communes respectively.

The case is before Trial Chamber Two presided over by Judge William Hussein Sekule (Tanzania). He is assisted by Judge Arlette Ramaroson (Madagascar) and Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda).

Another woman who also served the Rwandan 1994 interim government as Minister of Justice, Agnès Ntamabyariro, is in detention in Rwandan on genocide charges.

Two nuns of the Benedictine Order of Sovu convent in Butare prefecture were previously convicted of war crimes by a court in Brussels, in June 2001. Gertrude alias Consolata Mukangango is serving a 15 year jail term and Kizito alias Julienne Mukabutare was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200501310146.html