French prosecutors on Monday demanded a 30-year prison term for a former doctor on trial in Paris over his suspected involvement in the Rwandan genocide three decades ago.
Eugene Rwamucyo, 65, is the latest person accused of taking part in the 1994 massacre of the small central African country’s Tutsi population by the Hutu majority to face justice in France.
He is accused of aiding his country’s authorities at the time to disseminate anti-Tutsi propaganda and of taking part in mass murder in an attempt to destroy evidence of the genocide.
More than 800,000 people, mainly members of the Tutsi minority, were killed in the genocide between April and July 1994, according to the United Nations.
There does not appear … that there is any evidence to show that Mr Rwamucyo himself committed summary executions, acts of torture or other inhuman acts
Both public prosecutors asked the court to find Rwamucyo guilty of genocide, complicity in genocide and complicity in crimes against humanity, as well as conspiracy to prepare these crimes.
“We ask you not to allow Eugene Rwamucyo to escape his responsibilities,” said prosecutor Nicolas Peron at the end of the nearly seven-hour-long closing arguments.