French prosecutors have asked the court to sentence Dr. Eugène Rwamucyo to 30 years in prison.
French prosecutors have asked the court to sentence Dr. Eugène Rwamucyo to 30 years in prison in his appeal trial over charges related to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The appeal proceedings began on June 6, 2026, and are scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2026.
On July 15, the prosecution delivered its closing arguments, summarizing the allegations against Dr. Rwamucyo and the evidence it says supports a conviction.
The prosecution argued that, given the seriousness of the alleged crimes, Dr. Rwamucyo should be sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Dr. Rwamucyo is accused of participating in the killing of Tutsi during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He is also accused of taking part in the desecration of victims’ bodies and their burial in mass graves in an alleged effort to conceal evidence of the genocide.
Several witnesses also testified that he worked with those who planned the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in the former Butare Prefecture.
Dr. Rwamucyo has consistently denied the charges, maintaining that he is innocent and that he never gave any order to kill Tutsi.
In November 2024, the Paris Criminal Court found Dr. Rwamucyo guilty of complicity in genocide, incitement to ethnic hatred, and participation in crimes against humanity, sentencing him to 27 years in prison.
After challenging that verdict, Dr. Rwamucyo appealed the decision. At the conclusion of the appeal hearing, French prosecutors again asked the Court of Appeal to sentence him to 30 years in prison.
