French judicial authorities have concluded their investigations into Agathe Habyarimana, the widow of former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, regarding allegations of her participation in various atrocities during the 1994 genocide.
. Since 2008, she has been under scrutiny in France for purportedly being involved in genocide and crimes against humanity
In March, the French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) filed an appeal to formally charge her as part of an ongoing investigation into her alleged role in the Tutsi genocide.
At 82 years old, Agathe Kanziga Habyarimana has faced accusations for years of being a significant member of the ‘Akazu,’ the inner circle of Hutu power believed to have orchestrated the genocide, which she has consistently denied.
Following her evacuation to Europe with her family on April 9, 1994, at the behest of French President François Mitterrand, a close ally of her husband, she has lived in France without legal status since 1998.
Despite requests from Rwanda for her extradition, France has refused to return her, citing concerns regarding her involvement in one of the most horrific events of the 20th century.
In 2008, the Civil Parties Collective for Rwanda (CPCR) lodged a complaint that prompted a French inquiry into her suspected involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity.
By February 2022, the investigating judge announced the closure of the case, suggesting a likely dismissal, while the defense argued that the investigation had taken an excessively long time.
However, in August 2022, the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) requested further hearings and cross-examinations, describing the case as one of the most complex still under review.
The 1994 genocide resulted in the deaths of around 800,000 people, mainly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, at the hands of the Rwandan Armed Forces and extremist Hutu militias.
