ICTR News – Defence Investigator Nshogoza found guilty of contempt

Anyway, the judgment itself is not up on the Tribunal’s website yet, but here is the Tribunal’s Press Release.

More commentary on the judgment, generally supportive of the outcome, by Lisa Gambone on the War Crimes blog. I’ll refrain from commenting in detail until the actual judgment comes out. For now, I just wish to point out that there may be more behind this case than is immediately apparent – before his detention at the ICTR in this case, Nshogoza had been arrested by Rwandan authorities who had announced plans to prosecute him for bribing ICTR witnesses and for “minimization of genocide” – see e.g. the ADAD (Association of Defence Counsel) November 2007 Petition. I’ll also note that, if Nshogoza improperly influenced witnesses, it seems that he would be far from alone in doing so – see, e.g., this Hirondelle article on a Prosecution witness who recanted his testimony against accused Nzirorera claiming that he had been pressured by Rwandan authorities. Finally, see this New Times article on the judgment with a comment by Allison Turner, Nshogoza’s defence attorney.

More, hopefully, once the full judgment is published.