Rwanda’s Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, Dr. Jean-Damascène Bizimana, has condemned the decision by the UN’s International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) to block the transfer of Félicien Kabuga to Rwanda.
The ruling, delivered on November 14, 2025, by a panel of IRMCT judges led by Iain Bonomy, stated that medical assessments from experts including physicians and staff at the detention facility where Kabuga is held indicated that his health condition makes long-distance air travel unsafe.
The judges concluded that, for this reason, Kabuga would remain under provisional detention until a country willing to host him comes forward.
The UN prosecution had argued that Kabuga could safely be transferred to Rwanda under medical supervision and assured the court that his rights would be fully protected in Kigali, just as they are for all detainees.
Rwanda Says the Decision Is Inconsistent and Reflects a Troubling Historical Pattern
Minister Bizimana described the ruling as illogical and inconsistent, noting that Kabuga’s case halted since August 2023 symbolizes the historical burden carried by individuals who planned the Genocide against the Tutsi but have refused to acknowledge their crimes or join national reconciliation efforts. “Through this unreasonable decision, history continues to weigh heavily on genocide planners who refuse to admit their crimes and embrace Rwanda’s unity,” Bizimana said.
He recalled numerous cases in which genocide convicts or suspects, after serving their sentences or being acquitted, were denied burial or residence by foreign countries because of the grave crimes they were associated with.
Among them, he cited Protais Zigiranyirazo, who died in Niger in August 2025 and whose body was later cremated in France after the Mayor of Orléans, Serge Grouard, rejected plans for his burial in the city’s main cemetery, citing the man’s troubling past. “Many who committed genocide were tried or pursued by international tribunals but ended up buried in foreign countries because their own nations rejected them due to their crimes,” Bizimana said.
A Call to Genocide Perpetrators Who Still Reject Accountability
Bizimana urged those convicted of genocide or living in exile while refusing to accept responsibility to draw lessons from the cases of Kabuga, Zigiranyirazo, and others.“These cases should serve as lessons to those who remain defiant: peace is not possible without remorse. The fate of Kabuga is yet another example,” he emphasized.
He added that genuine reconciliation requires abandoning genocide ideology and making the courageous choice to return home.“They must reflect on their actions and take the noble and essential decision to renounce genocide ideology and return to their country. This is the best path for them and for their families.”
IRMCT Says European Countries Declined to Host Kabuga
According to the judges, Kabuga had formally requested asylum or acceptance from two European countries, both of which declined. This refusal, they said, left the court with no option but to maintain his provisional detention unless one of those countries changes its position.
