The Norwegian police announced on Friday that Norway will extradite a man sought by Rwanda for his alleged role in the 1994 genocide.
In 1994, about 800,000 Rwandans, mainly from the Tutsi minority but also moderate Hutus, were killed in 100 days of massacres following the assassination of the country’s president, Juvénal Habyarimana.
The man set to be extradited, whose identity remains undisclosed, was arrested in October 2022 by the Norwegian criminal police (Kripos). He is wanted by Rwanda for allegedly committing murder during the 1994 genocide, according to the police statement.
In September 2023, the Oslo District Court ruled that the man could be extradited. This decision was upheld by an appeals court in April 2024.
The suspect then appealed to the Supreme Court of Norway, but this was rejected in June 2024.
With all appeals exhausted, the Norwegian Ministry of Justice decided in February that the extradition could proceed, a decision confirmed by the Norwegian Council of State.
“The accused will now be extradited to Rwanda, where he will stand trial for his involvement in the genocide,” said police lawyer Thea Elise Kjaeraas in a statement.
In recent years, Norway has received several extradition requests for genocide suspects and is among half a dozen Western countries whose courts have handed down convictions since 2009.
