Key facts
- A Dutch court sentenced a 66-year-old Dutch-Rwandan man to life in prison.
- The conviction is for his role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
- He was found guilty of war crimes and genocide, including throwing a grenade into a crowd of Tutsis.
- The suspect was an administrator overseeing about 1,000 people in Mbazi, Rwanda.
- He denied all charges and his defense team intends to appeal.
- He was acquitted of incitement to genocide.
A court in the Netherlands has sentenced a 66-year-old Dutch-Rwandan man, identified as Eugene N, to life in prison for his involvement in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The court found him guilty of war crimes and genocide, citing his authoritative position as a local administrator overseeing approximately 1,000 people in Mbazi, southern Rwanda.
During the genocide, N was accused of instructing Hutus not to allow Tutsis seeking shelter in a stadium to escape, leading to them being attacked with stones, grenades, and machetes. He was also present during the looting and burning of houses. The court stated that a life sentence was the only appropriate punishment given the immense suffering inflicted on victims and their families.
Rwanda had sought N's extradition in 2014, but the Netherlands initiated its own investigation, leading to his arrest in 2024. N denied all charges, claiming he was a victim who lost family in the events. His defense team announced their intention to appeal the verdict, though he was acquitted of incitement to genocide.