A Rwandan man, François Gasana, accused of involvement in the 1994 genocide, has been repatriated from Norway, Rwanda’s prosecutor’s office confirmed on Friday. Gasana, who was a student during the genocide, was arrested in Norway in 2022. He stands accused of participating in the systematic killing of over 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus by Hutu extremists.
In March, Norwegian police confirmed that the legal conditions for Gasana’s extradition had been met, and the court approved his return to Rwanda. Faustin Nkusi, a spokesperson for Rwanda’s prosecutor’s office, announced Gasana’s arrival in Kigali, specifying that he is charged with killing a child and inciting others to commit murder during the genocide.
The exact details of Gasana’s legal representation remain unclear, and he was not permitted to speak to the press upon arrival. Rwandan media released images of police officers escorting Gasana off the plane upon landing.
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, established in 1994 to prosecute the masterminds of the genocide, concluded its operations in 2015, convicting 61 individuals. Since then, prominent fugitives have been apprehended globally, while Rwanda’s own justice system has managed nearly 2 million cases related to the genocide.
