It’s now for the first time in the history of inter- collaboration, the IRMCT Court remained for International criminal tribunal for Rwanda ICTR to value the government of Rwanda’s request before releasing the convicts. it’s now from Semanza Laurent who was former Mayor of Bicumbi currently Rwamagana District.
In his decision of 17th September 2020, the judge Carmel agius, the president of IRMCT, the court in charge to end the former ICTR’s responsibilities, has denied semanza’s request for provisional release.
After consulting all information and considering the article 151 governing the court law said ” in my experience I found out that Semanza wouldn’t be legible to be provisionary released before the completion of his sentence”. particularly “due to the power of the crimes he committed” further more, he didn’t show enough regret over his crimes ” more so, he has no life difficulties that can ban this decision.
The court valued Rwanda’s request.
Rwanda requested the court to ignore semanza’s request due to the power of crimes he committed and of which he was approved to.
his release would greatly affect the victimes of genocide.
Rwanda’s request exactly meets with the court chief judge serge brammartz’s.
this judge also revealed out that semanza is not legible to be released due to the crimines he committed of which he was approved to.
basing on those evidences and on the article 26 of the law setting up this court, in it’s article 150 & 151 governing the court operations, it’s where the court president ,Agius carmel, based ignoring semanza’s provisional release request, and he right there requested the court clerk to inform the government of Rwanda.
situation has changed
on 16th of March 2020, semanza’s lawyer requested for the provisional release of his client in order to quit the attack of covid-19.
Semanza is now 76 and imprisoned in one of prisons in Benin.
Defending his request the lawyer based on the prisoner age, prisoner life, and time coved while in prison.
Semanza has now spent 2/3 of his 34½yrs sentence and he is waiting for the feedback from his release request before the sentence time. the request was handed in MICT, the court that replaced ICTR on 26th July 2018.
During the chief prosecutor Theodor melon regime, many were released after completing 3/4 of their sentence basing on that principle.
This made Rwanda critisize much the court and its president due to the power of crimes committed and mistakes to apply that principle. but since agius Carmel took over, no prisoner that has been sentenced by the ICTR who has been released before the completion of the sentence.
Among others that have submitted the release requests include Theoneste Bagosora who is accused of preparing the so called “IMPERUKA” (the end) which was the genocide against Tutsi in 1994.
Semanza’s request has become the sign to many for the change hence the saying ” situation has changed”
