French Court Reopens Genocide Case Against Rwandan Ex-First Lady
PARIS — A French appeals court has ordered a new investigation into Agathe Kanziga Habyarimana, the widow of Rwanda’s former president, over allegations she played a role in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
The Paris Court of Appeal overturned a previous decision to close the case, ruling that judicial inquiries into allegations of genocide and crimes against humanity against Kanziga must continue.
Investigating magistrates had dismissed the case last year, citing “insufficient evidence” regarding charges of complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity. The appeals court has now reversed that ruling.
The case originated from a 2007 complaint filed by human rights groups, accusing Kanziga of helping plan or facilitate the genocide that claimed more than one million lives over approximately 100 days.
Kanziga, who has lived in France since 1998, has consistently denied the allegations. She was the wife of Juvénal Habyarimana, Rwanda’s president from 1973 until his death in April 1994 when his plane was shot down over Kigali — an event widely seen as the trigger for the genocide.
Survivors and advocacy groups have repeatedly expressed frustration over delays in the French judicial process. They warn that the passage of time risks undermining justice, as key suspects age and witnesses become harder to locate.
France has long been scrutinized for its relationship with Rwanda’s pre-genocide regime. The reopening of the investigation marks the latest development in decades-long efforts to hold alleged perpetrators and accomplices accountable in French courts.
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