ICTR Appeals Chamber Upholds Conviction in Kambanda-Case

In its judgement of October 19, 2000, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) upheld the Tribunal’s initial conviction of former Prime Minister of Rwanda, Jean Kambanda, thus sentencing him to life imprisonment. Kambanda is the first head of government to be convicted for genocide. After pleading guilty to six counts of genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, complicity in genocide, and crimes against humanity (both murder and extermination), the ICTR’s trial chamber sentenced Kambanda to life imprisonment on September 4, 1998. Following his conviction, Kambanda filed several notices of appeal against the Trial Chamber’s decision. Apart from the grounds of appeal directed against the sentence, and following a change of counsel, he also filed three grounds of appeal challenging the validity of his guilty plea. These last contentions and the Court’s findings thereupon constitute the core issue of the Appeals Chamber’s decision to uphold Kambanda’s conviction...[more]