COMMUNIQUE
(Summary, Original in Kinyarwanda)
The Office of the President has today issued a
communiqu� relating to various categories of persons in detention who
run the risk of being imprisoned for periods longer than the penalty
provided for by the law. These include persons who have confessed of
crimes of genocide and who are not in the first category, minors who
were between 14 and 18 years old at the time they committed acts of
genocide, and other persons accused of ordinary crimes.
His Excellency the President has instructed the
relevant judicial institutions to examine, within one month and in
accordance with the procedures stipulated by law, the cases of the
above mentioned detainees, and to grant provisional liberty to all
detainees who run the risk of being detained for periods longer than
the period of imprisonment set by law. The release of these detainees
is without prejudice to the continuation of criminal proceedings
against them.
The President has also reiterated that the decision
of the government relating to the release of the elderly and very sick
detainees continue to be implemented.
He has also given instructions to relevant
authorities to examine the cases of persons accused of genocide, who
confessed before the law establishing Gacaca courts came into effect
with a view to affording them the advantages available to those
confess under the law establishing Gacaca courts.
Furthermore, His Excellency the President has
instructed the relevant authorities to examine the cases of persons
accused of infiltration so that they receive treatment comparable to
that extended to those who have recently returned from the DRC.
His Excellency the President has expressed thanks to
all those who are involved in the Gacaca courts process and calls upon
all Rwandans to continue to participate actively in the smooth
functioning of the Gacaca courts.
