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U.S. Position on Rwandan Prisoner Release Announcement

U.S Department of State
NEWS
January 9, 2003
Posted to the web January 9, 2003
Washington, DC
Taken Question from January 8, 2003 Daily Press Briefing
Question: What is the U.S. position on the announcement by the Rwandan
government that it will release 30,000-40,000 prisoners over the next month
Answer: The Rwandan Government has announced it will review the cases of 30,000
40,000 of the estimated 115,000 inmates in its jails. The Government plans to
release persons who have confessed to crimes of genocide but were not among the
organizers or planners of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, were between the ages of
14 and 18 when they committed their crimes, are sick or elderly, or are accused
of common crimes not related to the genocide. According to the Rwandan
Government, investigations against these persons will continue, but they will
be released until the judicial system can accommodate their cases.
Many of the inmates in Rwanda s jails have been detained for nearly eight years
without trial due to Rwanda s overburdened judicial system. The United States
fully supports Rwanda s efforts to pursue justice for victims of the genocide.
We continue to provide both financial and moral support to the Rwandan
Government for this purpose and through the United Nations to the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania.

   

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