Jean-Paul Akayesu

Born 1953 (age 65–66)

Taba, Rwanda-Urundi

Nationality Rwandan

Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a country in Central Africa and one of the smallest countries on the

African mainland. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and

the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Occupation Mayor of Taba commune in Gitarama prefecture

Political party Republican Democratic Movement

Jean-Paul Akayesu (born 1953, Taba, Rwanda is a former teacher, school inspector,
WHO!
and Republican Democratic Movement (MDR) politician from Rwanda. He was
the mayor of Taba commune in Gitarama prefecture from April 1993 until June 1994.

As mayor, Akayesu was responsible for performing executive functions and maintaining
order in Taba, meaning he had command of the communal police and any gendarmes
assigned to the commune. He was subject only to the prefect. (a chief officer, magistrate,
or regional governor in certain countries.)
He was considered well-liked and intelligent.

During the Rwandan genocide of mid-1994, many Tutsis were

killed in Akayesu's commune, and many others were subject
to violence and other forms of hatred.

BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE CONFLICT
Generally, the Hutu-Tutsi strife stems from class warfare, with the Tutsis perceived to
have greater wealth and social status (as well as favoring cattle ranching over what is seen
as the lower-class farming of the Hutus). These class differences started during the 19th
century, were exacerbated by colonization, and exploded at the end of the 20th century.
The Tutsis are thought to have originally come from Ethiopia and arrived after the Hutu
came from Chad. The Tutsis had a monarchy dating back to the 15th century; this was
overthrown at the urging of Belgian colonizers in the early 1960s and the Hutu took power
by force in Rwanda. In Burundi, however, a Hutu uprising failed and the Tutsis controlled
the country.
The Tutsi and Hutu people interacted long before European colonization in the 19th
century. According to some sources, the Hutu people lived in the area originally, while the
Tutsi migrated from the Nile region. When they arrived, the Tutsi were able to establish
themselves as leaders in the area with little conflict. While the Tutsi people became
"aristocracy," there was a good deal of intermarriage.
In 1925, Belgian colonized the area calling it Ruanda-Urundi. Rather than establishing a
government from Brussels, however, the Belgians placed the Tutsi in charge with the
support of the Europeans. This decision led to the exploitation of the Hutu people at the
hands of the Tutsis. Starting in 1957, the Hutus began to rebel against their treatment,
writing a Manifesto and staging violent actions against the Tutsi.
In 1962, Belgium left the area and two new nations, Rwanda and Burundi, were formed.
Between 1962 and 1994, a number of violent clashes occurred between the Hutus and
Tutsis; all of this was leading up to the genocide of 1994.

WHEN WAS HE ARRESTED?
WHAT ARE THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM?
WHAT IS THE ACCUSED (JEAN-PAUL) DEFENSE?
CONVICTIONS
Akayesu was arrested in Zambia in October 1995, making
Zambia the first African nation to extradite criminals to
the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
In 1996 Godeliève Mukasarasi was contacted by the
United Nations to assist in putting together a case against
him. Mukasarasi was intimidated and her husband and
daughter were killed but she found four people who were
willing to testify. She was given an International Women
of Courage Award in 2018 for this and other work.
He stood trial for 15 counts of genocide, crimes against
humanity, including rape during the Rwandan
genocide and violations of the Geneva Convention. Pierre-
Richard Prosper was the lead prosecutor.
15 counts of genocide, crimes against humanity, including rape during
the Rwandan genocide and violations of the Geneva Convention
Akayesu's defence team argued that Akayesu had no part in the
killings, and that he had been powerless to stop them. In short, the
defence argued, Akayesu was being made a scapegoat for the crimes
of the people of Taba.
GENOCIDE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY VIOLATIONS OF THE GENEVA
CONVENTION
United Nations Security Council