Kigali: In the message he wrote in the guestbook after visiting the Kigali Genocide memorial Centre, – resting place to more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi,- Judge Carmel Agius, President of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (UNIRMCT), written a moving message saying that Genocide is more than bad, hence reiterating a “Never Again” call.
“Very moving. Never again. Genocide is more than bad,” reads his message. This is judge Agius first visit to Rwanda – months after he was appointed President of the UNIRMCT.
During the press conference the 74-year old judge sounded like he will single handedly turn the table in the operations of the mechanism, which he said he was opposed to some of them before his appointment as president.
Judge Agius, from Malta, assumed office as President of the International Residual Mechanism on 19 January 2019, to a term expiring on 30 June 2020. He replaced the American Theodore Meron whom Rwanda accused of constantly releasing genocide convicts earlier than expected while ignoring country’s concerns about them.
Agius stated that he is set, in a collaborative and transparent manner, to change the past relationship in areas of policy on releasing genocide suspects on trial, pursuit of genocide fugitives and transfer of archives among others.
On early convict release, Agius said he doesn’t agree with how the process has been handled and that there must be a system of release which is not invented for the first time but instead adopted in the mechanism to follow.
“Any application for early release before convicts serve 2/3 of the sentence will not be permitted, unless there is a terrible case of cancer and one has few days to live,” Aguis said.
“My message is there may be early releases but each request is going to be thoroughly and thoroughly checked in a transparent manner,” he clarified.
So far there are eight convicted genocide cases transferred to the mechanism and nine of the acquitted suspects still being held in a safe house in Arusha, Tanzania.
The judge also said that he will take into consideration the comments and requests of the government and victims. (End)