When Interpol Comes Calling…™
International Criminal Tribunal For Rwanda (ICTR)
The ICTR was established by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 955 in 1994 for the purpose of adjudicating serious violations of international human rights law that occurred in the territory of Rwanda from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 1994. The ICTR Statute criminalizes human rights laws for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The ICTR completion strategy calls for finality of all trials and appeals by 2010.
Jurisdiction
By statute, the ICTR may prosecute individuals responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in Rwanda between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 1994, or Rwandan individuals responsible for such violations against neighboring states during this time.
- Subject Matter Jurisdiction
The ICTR may try a case brought under any of the crimes listed in its statute. Those crimes are limited to genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Temporal Jurisdiction
The ICTR may exercise jurisdiction over any crimes committed beginning on January 1, 1994 and ending on December 31, 1994
Personal Jurisdiction
The ICTR may prosecute any natural individual.
Territorial Jurisdiction
The ICTR may investigate and try cases concerning events occurred in Rwanda.
The ICTR may not investigate, indict, or try an individual for crimes not specified in its statute. There are three international, statutory crimes named in the ICTR statute: genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
- Genocide
War Crimes
Crimes Against Humanity
Laws and Rules
Statute of the Tribunal
Rules of Procedure and Evidence
Code of Professional Conduct for Defense Counsel
Practice Direction on Formal Requirements for Appeals from Judgment
Indictments
Prosecutor Against Aloys Simba, May 6, 2004, ICTR-2001-76-1
Decisions and Judgments
Trial Judgement, Prosecutor Against Jean-Paul Akayesu, Sept. 2, 1998, ICTR-96-4-T. This case first in which an international tribunal was called upon to interpret the definition of genocide as defined in the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948). This case also defined the crime of rape and established that acts of sexual violence may constitute genocide, so long as committed with the requisite genocidal intent.
Judgement of the Appeals Chamber, Jean-Paul Akayesu, June 1, 2001, ICTR-96-4-T Trial Judgement, Prosecutor Against Jean Kambanda, Sept. 4, 1998, ICTR-97-23-S. This conviction of the former Prime Minister of Rwanda was the first time that an accused person acknowledged his guilt for the crime of genocide before an international criminal tribunal. It was also the first time that a head of government was convicted for the crime of genocide. Trial Judgement, Prosecutor Against Aloys Simba, Dec. 13, 2005, ICTR-2001-76-1 First conviction specifically addressing the Tutsi massacres in the Gikongoro area.