Rwandan Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana has welcomed the decision of the Paris Assize Court of Appeal to uphold the 27-year prison sentence against Dr. Eugène Rwamucyo, describing it as a historic step in the pursuit of justice for victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
In a statement issued following the verdict delivered on July 17, 2026, Minister Bizimana said the ruling confirmed the responsibility of Rwamucyo, who was found guilty of conspiracy to commit genocide, complicity in genocide, and complicity in crimes against humanity committed during the Genocide against the Tutsi in Butare.
“The Paris Assize Court has delivered a spark of justice. The verdict confirms facts that were already evident and publicly known,” Minister Bizimana said, adding that the decision brings an end to a long legal battle for survivors and victims’ families.
According to the Minister, the appellate ruling represents a rejection of attempts to deny or distort the history of the Genocide against the Tutsi. He said the evidence presented before the court exposed what he described as “lies and arrogance” surrounding Rwamucyo’s defence.
Minister Bizimana recalled that Rwamucyo, who was Director General of the Butare University Public Health Center (CUSP) during the genocide, had denied the killing of Tutsi victims in health institutions where he worked. However, he said testimonies and investigations showed that medical facilities in Butare were among the places where many Tutsi employees and patients were killed.
He cited testimonies, including that of Dr. Rony Zachariah of Médecins Sans Frontières, who told the court about the killing of CHUB staff members and Tutsi patients during the genocide. The Minister also referred to records identifying dozens of victims killed at the Butare University Teaching Hospital.
Dr. Bizimana further rejected claims that medical professionals did not participate in the genocide, noting that several doctors and nurses were convicted by Gacaca courts for their role in genocide crimes committed in health facilities in Butare.
He also addressed claims regarding Gatonde, Rwamucyo’s home area, where he said Tutsi residents were targeted and killed during the Genocide against the Tutsi. The Minister highlighted that denial or minimisation of the suffering of victims remains a serious distortion of history.
In his conclusion, Minister Bizimana thanked the French justice system for pursuing cases of genocide suspects who sought refuge abroad, saying the verdict demonstrates the importance of universal jurisdiction in fighting impunity.
He said the conviction sends a strong message that those responsible for genocide cannot escape justice regardless of where they hide.
“The trials and convictions of genocide perpetrators show that exile cannot guarantee impunity. Justice continues to pursue those responsible for the Genocide against the Tutsi,” Minister Bizimana stated.
GJC
