Facts
During the three-month period of the Rwandan genocide in 1994, approximately 800 000 people were killed, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Former Rwandan military officer Pierre-Claver Karangwa was allegedly involved in the massacre of nearly 30 000 ethnic Tutsis at Mugina Parish, near Kigali, during this period.
Procedure
In 2012, Rwanda sought Karangwa’s extradition from the Netherlands to face genocide charges. Karangwa denied any role in these crimes. In June 2023, the Dutch Supreme Court blocked the extradition, citing concerns about the fairness of a potential trial in Rwanda, particularly given Karangwa’s role as an opposition politician. Following this ruling, Karangwa was arrested in the Netherlands in 2023 in relation to a separate Dutch investigation initiated after the extradition request was denied.