UN Rwanda Tribunal has OK’d referral of case against Pastor Uwinkindi, a Pentecostal pastor in the Kigali Rural prefecture. He is accused for inciting attacks against Tutsis at Kayenzi church Rwanda. He was arrested in Uganda in June 2010 and transferred to the UN detention facility in the city of Arusha, Tanzania. He will be now transferred to Rwanda’s criminal courts. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) had originally referred Mr. Uwinkindi’s case (Photo Above) to Rwanda, marking a precedent – similar to cases before the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) being referred to Bosnia & Herzegovina. (Read: “No Staff to Prosecute Mladic-Karadzic-Hadzic?” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/no-staff-to-prosecute-mladic-karadzic-hadzic/41711). Mr. Uwinkindi’s appeal was rejected end of week (December 16, 2011) as the tribunal judges said they were convinced that Rwanda possesses the ability to accept and prosecute the case. According to the ICTR, while dismissing the appeal, it placed Mr. Uwinkindi’s transfer to Rwanda on hold until the trial chamber accepts a corrected indictment, recalling that in a separate decision it had ordered one of the ICTR’s trial chambers to direct prosecutors to file a corrected indictment in the case to remedy several defects which had been identified. The ICTR’s referral chamber expressed “its solemn hope that the Republic of Rwanda would actualize in practice the commitments it made in its filings about its good faith, capacity and willingness to enforce the highest standards of international justice.” Also Read:-“Guilty of Genocide former Rwanda Mayor” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/guilty-of-genocide-former-rwanda-mayor-by-ambassador-mo/41899 ICTR also requested that “the registrar appoint representatives of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights to monitor Mr. Uwinkindi’s trial in Rwanda and determined that the commission should bring to the ICTR’s attention any potential issues that may arise during the proceedings.” The case is symbolically important in bringing closure to the Rwanda genocide and establishing a precedent that will Rwandan Courts to assume further prosecutions as the ICTR winds down operations. Similar issues pertain to the ICTY as it will conclude its prosecutions with those of Ratko Mladic, Goran Hadzic and Radovan Karadzic. Read: -“Mladic True Not Quick Justice” - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/blog_post/mladic-trial-true-not-quick-justice-by-ambassador-mo/28570 By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Facebook – Become a Fan at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter – Follow us at DiplomaticallyX