ICTR upholds genocide acquittal of two former Rwanda government officials News
ICTR upholds genocide acquittal of two former Rwanda government officials

[JURIST] The appellate chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) [official website] on Wednesday upheld a trial chamber acquittal [press release] of two high-ranking government officials accused of genocide and massive crimes against humanity during the 1994 crisis. Former Transport Minister Andre Ntagerura [PDF indictment] and former provincial Governor Emmanuel Bagambiki [PDF indictment] had been tried by the ICTR trial chamber and acquitted [PDF judgment] by a three-judge panel in 2004 on the grounds that the prosecutor had not proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Prosecutors asked for a retrial [JURIST report] earlier this week, arguing that the tribunal did not consider testimony from seven suspected accomplices of the two defendants. The appellate chamber's confirmation of the ruling means that the two men are free and cannot be tried again for charges related to those already tried. IRIN News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Egypt President Anwar Sadat visits Israel

On November 19, 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat visited Israel, becoming the first leader of an Arab nation to officially visit. Two years later, President Sadat became the first Arab leader to recognize Israel by signing the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty. Read President Sadat's address to the Israeli Knesset.

Jay Treaty signed

On November 19, 1794, US Chief Justice John Jay and British foreign secretary Lord Grenville signed a treaty in Philadelphia under which British forces pulled out of the disputed Northwest Territory. Review the Jay Treaty.