Joseph Nzirorera
{{Short description|Rwandan politician and genocide perpetrator (1950–2010)}}
Joseph Nzirorera (1950 - 1 July 2010{{Cite web |date=2001-12-13 |title=ICTR-01-77-I: The Prosecutor v. Joseph Nzirorera Confirmation of the Indictment |url=http://www.ictrcaselaw.org/docs/doc27841.pdf |accessdate=2011-05-04 |publisher=ICTR |archive-date=2012-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314182636/http://www.ictrcaselaw.org/docs/doc27841.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |date=2010-08-12 |title=ICTR-98-44-T: The Prosecutor v. Édouard Karemera, Matthieu [sic] Ngirumpatse and Joseph Nzirorera Decision Relating to Registrar's Submission Notifying the Demise of Accused Joseph Nzirorera |url=https://ucr.irmct.org/LegalRef/CMSDocStore/Public/English/Decision/NotIndexable/ICTR-98-44/MSC22503R0000562360.PDF |accessdate=2021-06-25 |publisher=ICTR}}) was a Rwandan politician and accused génocidaires who was arrested by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for his role in the Rwandan genocide.
Background
Nzirorera was born in 1950 in Busogo, Ruhengeri Prefecture. He received a degree in civil engineering from the University of Butare in 1975.{{Cite web |title=Box 2: Joseph Nzirorera, the President's "creation" and his "Icarus flight" |url=http://rwandadelaguerreaugenocide.univ-paris1.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/From-War-to-Genocide-Box-2.pdf |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=Rwanda: From War to Genocide}}
Career
Nzirorema served as national secretary of the National Revolutionary Movement for Development (MRND) and as speaker of the Rwandan Parliament. He also served as Minister of Industry, Mines and Handicraft.{{Cite web |date=2005-09-20 |title=Rwanda tribunal confirms a sentence for genocide and starts two more trials {{!}} UN News |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2005/09/153622 |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=United Nations |language=en}} Nzirorera was a member of the Akazu, an elite circle of Hutu extremists close to President Juvénal Habyarimana and First Lady Agathe Habyarimana.{{Cite web |date=2001-07-27 |title=Former Akazu member arrested for crimes against humanity {{!}} United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda |url=https://unictr.irmct.org/en/news/former-akazu-member-arrested-crimes-against-humanity |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals}}
Arrest and legal proceedings
Nzirorera was arrested by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in July 1998. In a joint trial with Édouard Karemera and Mathieu Ngirumpatse, Nzirorera was accused of conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide, as well as crimes against humanity.{{Cite web |last=Riley |first=Ann |date=July 2, 2010 |title=Rwanda ex-official dies while facing genocide trial at ICTR |url=https://www.jurist.org/news/2010/07/rwanda-ex-official-dies-while-facing-genocide-trial-at-ictr/ |access-date=February 11, 2023 |website=Jurist |language=en-US}}
In 2003, he was described by expert witness Nkiko Nsengimana as the "leader of the Interahamwe".{{Cite web |last= |date=2003-05-07 |title=Akazu Was The Mastermind Of The Genocide, Expert Witness Say |url=https://www.justiceinfo.net/en/17286-en-en-akazu-was-the-mastermind-of-the-genocide-expert-witness-say80528052.html |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=JusticeInfo.net |language=en-US}} In 2004, he was accused of having asked the Interahamwe to kill a Tutsi child in Busogo, Ruhengeri Prefecture in April 1994.{{Cite web |date=2004-03-31 |title=Rwanda: Nzirorera Asked Interahamwe to Kill a Child |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200403310766.html |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=AllAfrica}}
Death
On 1 July 2010, Nzirorera died at the age of 59 while awaiting trial.{{Cite web |date=2010-07-01 |title=Accused Joseph Nzirorera Dies {{!}} United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda |url=https://unictr.irmct.org/en/news/accused-joseph-nzirorera-dies#:~:text=Joseph%20Nzirorera%20(59),%20an,was%20before%20Trial%20Chamber%20III. |access-date=2023-02-11 |website=United Nations {{!}} International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals}}
References
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Category:National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development politicians
Category:Rwandan genocide perpetrators
Category:Rwandan people who died in prison custody
Category:Government ministers of Rwanda
Category:Members of the Parliament of Rwanda
Category:20th-century Rwandan politicians
Category:People indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda