This case summary is part of a collection of summaries describing the cases before the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). See the Online Resource Hub pages on the ICTR and International Criminal Law, and table of ICTR case summaries for additional information.
Kabuga (ICTR-99-44B & MICT-13-38)
Jurisdiction transferred to the MICT: 1 August 2012
Félicien Kabuga, the former President of the Comité Provisoire of the Rwandan National Defense Fund and President of the Comité d’Initiative de la Radio Télévision Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM), was indicted for his alleged role in using his authority at the RTLM to spread anti-Tutsi messages with the aim of promoting crimes against Tutsis. The prosecution charged Kabuga with direct and superior responsibility for genocide, complicity in genocide, attempt to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, incitement to commit genocide, and crimes against humanity for acts of extermination and persecution. Kabuga remained at large as the ICTR was ending its work, and in 2012, the ICTR Prosecution transferred the case to the IRMCT. In May 2020, French authorities arrested Kabuga and will determine whether to transfer him to the IRMCT’s custody.