Bern, 16.03.2016 – The chief auditor has suspended the criminal investigation that was under a former minister of Rwanda living in Switzerland. Rwandan prosecution authorities accused him of having committed war crimes during the 1994 genocide in connection with the civil war in Rwanda. The criticisms have proved unfounded. This procedure is the latest proceedings conducted by the Swiss military justice based on the international law of armed conflict.
In 1999 the Swiss military justice has opened an investigation into additional evidence against a Rwandan citizen, to determine whether he had committed war crimes in Rwanda in the context of the 1994 genocide Rwanda was a member of government Rwandan transition in 1994. he fled to Switzerland in June 1994, the country where he still lives today. In 2005 the investigating judge dismissed the evidence of further investigation by proposing to take no further action in the matter, since there was no basis to conclude that misconduct. This request was approved by the Chief Auditor.
In summer 2008, when Rwandan prosecution authorities have filed an extradition request from Rwanda, the chief auditor has ordered a new investigation into additional evidence.Working closely with the Rwandan authorities and the International Criminal Court for Rwanda, new accusations against the Rwandans were examined, including through in-depth investigations, as well as on-site at the International Criminal Court for Rwanda Arusha (Tanzania). Based on these investigations, it was found that the criticisms behind the request for extradition of Rwanda, were unfounded. Finally, the latest judgments of the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court for Rwanda revealed any evidence to justify pursuing a criminal investigation against the Rwandans. Accordingly, the lead auditor decided, on the proposal of the investigating judge, not as no action on this matter. This decision is binding.
This procedure is the last procedure of the Swiss military justice based on the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. In Switzerland, the procedures for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes fall, since 2011, the jurisdiction of the Public Prosecutor of the Confederation.
Source: https://www.news.admin.ch/dokumentation/00002/00015/?lang=fr&msg-id=61013
