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Spain dismisses war crimes charges against 40 Rwandan officials

The Spanish Supreme Court has dismissed war crimes cases against 40 Rwandan officials who were accused over their role in revenge killings following the 1994 genocide, reports BBC.

The officials, many of whom held leadership positions in the Rwanda Defence Forces, were accused of war crimes.

The decision means that arrest warrants against the group have now been revoked, though 29 of them may still be arrested if they enter Spanish territory.

Rwanda's justice minister Johnston Busingye praised the decision stating "we have always said that such a case requires proper and credible investigation". "This particular investigation started by listing almost the entire leadership of the Rwanda Defence Forces on a charge sheet and then worked backwards to find offences with which to charge them," he added.

However, said Jordi Palou Loverdos, a lawyer for Spanish, Rwandan and Congolese victims said “it is a very sad day for victims and for justice in general”.

See more from the BBC here and Digital Journal here.

 

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