Canadian authorities charge Rwandan man with war crimes News
Canadian authorities charge Rwandan man with war crimes

[JURIST] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police [official website] on Wednesday arrested and charged a Rwandan man living in Toronto with war crimes and crimes against humanity in connection with the 1994 genocide in Rwanda [JURIST news archive]. Desire Munyaneza, 39, faces seven charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act [text], making him the first person to be charged since the Act was passed in 2000. The RCMP said the arrest was the result of a five-year investigation by its war crimes unit [official website], along with help from the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [JURIST news archive]. Authorities did not indicate what action would be taken against Munyaneza. Under the War Crimes Act, the Canadian government can deny a suspect refugee status, revoke citizenship, prosecute them or extradite them to an international tribunal for prosecution. The RCMP has a news release on the arrest. CBC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

No lynchings reported in US for first time

On December 30, 1952, the Tuskegee Institute reported that 1952 was the first year of no lynchings of African Americans in the United States in the 71 years it had kept records. Learn more about lynching and listen to Billie Holiday's jazz recording of the 1938 protest song Strange Fruit.

USSR established

On December 30, 1922, representatives of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Transcaucus approved the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR and the Declaration of the Creation of the USSR, creating the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). During World War II, the USSR would also annex Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Moldova. Learn more about the history of the USSR from the BBC.