Arusha, December 10th, 2004 (FH) - The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda will next Monday begin hearing the appeal of a former Rwandan mayor Laurent Semanza who was sentenced to 25 years in prison in May 2003 for his role in the 1994 genocide.

The testimony of a defence witness code-named TDR, who did not testify during Semanza’s trial, will be heard first before the arguments of both the prosecution and the defence.

A scheduling order issued by the presiding judge Theodor Meron, also the President of the Appeals Chamber, indicates that the case will be heard over three days.

Semanza, 60, served as the mayor of Bicumbi Commune (Kigali rural Prefecture) for 20 years until 1993.

He was found guilty on five counts out of the 14 he was initially charged with: complicity to commit genocide and crimes against humanity – rape, torture, murder, and extermination. The judges concluded that Semanza played a key role in massacres in Bicumbi and Gikoro communes during the 1994 genocide. They singled out four locations as where he was most active: Ruhanga and Musha churches, Mabare mosque and Mwulire sector. He aided those who committed the massacres, the chamber ruled.

The trial chamber however reduced the 25 year jail term by six months. The Appeals Chamber had directed that the term would be reduced if Semanza were convicted, because of some previous violations of his rights when he was arrested and detained in Cameroon before being transferred to Arusha.

Semanza is defended by Charles Taku from Cameroon and the USA.

PJ/GF/FH (SE’’1210e)