[JURIST] The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [official website; JURIST Hot Topic] is set to begin trials for 17 suspects charged for alleged roles in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, according to prosecutor Hassan Jallow. The new trials will proceed alongside 25 cases already being tried. Jallow said investigations had been completed for 16 more suspects, and indictments will likely be filed by June in those cases. The UN-backed tribunal has previously been plagued by personnel and monetary shortages that have slowed progress. Any suspects not tried by the tribunal's expiration in 2008 will be transferred to national courts. The ICTR has already arranged for some suspects to be tried in national courts to speed up proceedings. Review the ICTR completion strategy [text, PDF] issued this fall. The UN's IRIN news service has more.