Georges Ruggiu
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| Georges Ruggiu | |
| Born | October 12, 1957 Verviers, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Journalist, broadcaster |
Georges Henri Yvon Joseph Ruggiu (born 12 October 1957 in Verviers, Belgium) is a journalist and broadcaster, who worked in Rwanda for Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines, a radio station that played a significant role in promoting the Rwandan Genocide.[1]
Though born in Belgium, Ruggiu has Italian nationality. [2] From January to July 1994, prior to and during the genocide, Ruggiu worked in Kigali, Rwanda as a journalist and producer for Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). RTLM was one of the chief sources of extremist Hutu propaganda, broadcasting twenty-four hours a day and openly exhorting its audience to kill Tutsis and "disloyal" Hutus. Ruggiu personally wrote and broadcast much of the content of this nature. Ruggiu personally broadcast programs inciting Hutus to commit murder or serious attacks against Tutsi rebels, whom he called "cockroaches".[3] He also encouraged persecution of these Tutsis, and moderate Hutus and Belgian citizens in the area.[1]
On 23 July 1997, Ruggiu was arrested in Mombasa, Kenya at the request of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and moved to the site of the tribunal in Arusha, Tanzania.[1] Ruggiu was charged with "direct and public incitement to commit genocide" and "crimes against humanity (persecution)".[4] During his three-year long trial, Ruggiu expressed regret for his part in events, saying, "I admit that it was indeed a genocide and that unfortunately I took part in it."[5] Ruggiu acknowledged his role in the genocide, admitting that he:
| “ | ...incited murders and caused serious attacks on the physical and/or mental well-being of members of the Tutsi population with the intention of destroying, in whole or in part, an ethnic or racial group.[6] | ” |
He accepted responsibility for his actions, stating "certain people were killed in Rwanda in 1994 and that I was responsible and culpable."[5] Ruggiu detailed the inner workings of Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines, stating the radio station was used to convey "the ideology and plans of Hutu extremists in Rwanda."[6]
On 15 May 2000, Ruggiu pleaded guilty to both charges of indictment, and was sentenced to twelve years in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda for incitement to commit genocide.[7] He received a relatively short sentence, after agreeing to testify against three suspects who allegedly used the media, most notably RTLM, to fuel the genocide in Rwanda.[8]
In February 2008, Ruggiu was flown to Italy to serve out the rest of his 12-year sentence in his country of citizenship. [2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Trial Watch: Georges Ruggiu. TRIAL (25 April 2006). Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
- ^ a b "Italian Rwanda convict flown home", BBC News, 28 February 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-01.
- ^ Rwanda 2000: Country report. Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
- ^ Case Law of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda: Summary of judgments against the accused. Human Rights Watch (February 2004). Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
- ^ a b Rwanda protests at 'lenient' sentence. BBC News (1 June 2000). Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
- ^ a b 'Hate radio' journalist confesses. BBC News (15 May 2000). Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
- ^ ICTR - Georges Ruggiu, journalist. Fondation Hirondelle (17 June 2000). Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
- ^ Convicted ex-radio presenter has mental problems, defence suggests. Fondation Hirondelle (5 March 2002). Retrieved on 2007-03-07.
