Genocide: Rwanda

(asked on 1st May 2019) - View Source

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps he has taken to (a) apprehend and (b) bring to justice people living in the UK who took part in the Rwandan genocide between April and July 1994.


Answered by
Nick Hurd Portrait
Nick Hurd
This question was answered on 8th May 2019

The Government is committed to upholding international law and holding those who commit the most serious crimes accountable for their actions.

Apprehending and bringing to justice those suspected of crimes is a matter for the police and courts.

Extradition requests from Rwanda for five people accused of involvement in the genocide were refused by the courts in July 2017. These individuals are currently under investigation. Any decision to bring charges under UK law will be a matter for the CPS following the investigation.

The Government has published guidance to clarify the role of prosecutors and the police on the investigation and prosecution of crimes of universal jurisdiction.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) War Crimes Unit is a dedicated specialist unit which investigates and prosecutes people living in the UK suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in line with universal jurisdiction and the CPS Counter Terrorism Division has the responsibility for prosecuting such crimes.

Reticulating Splines