Rwanda
Fabien Neretse
Type of liability
Personne physique
Alleged perpetrator(s)
Fabien NERETSE
Nationality of alleged perpetrator(s)
Rwandan
Legal classification of crime(s)
Genocide
Crimes against humanity
Source of the complaint
NGO
Ongoing proceedings
non
Regime
1 – TPIY/TPIR
Summary of facts
Fabien Neretse was allegedly one of the founders of the Interahamwe, the pro-Hutu militia that was heavily involved in the massacres in Rwanda.
Fabien Neretse allegedly supplied weapons, means of transport and money to finance the genocide.
He is suspected of having directly participated in the genocide campaign, in particular in organizing the massacres committed on Mataba Hill, and in acts perpetrated in the provinces of Ruhengeri, Gisenyi and Ndiza.
Fabien Neretse also allegedly denounced several Tutsi families trying to flee Rwanda during the first days of the genocide, contributing to their capture and subsequent execution.
In addition, he allegedly caused the death of a Belgian national, Claire Beckers, who was trying to flee Kigali with her husband Isaïe Bucyana and her daughter Katia on April 9, 1994. Claire Beckers’ sister filed a complaint against persons unknown in Belgium.
After the genocide, Neretse fled to France, where he used a false name to avoid being recognized. He settled in Angoulême, where he lived until 2011 without attracting attention, under the pseudonym Fabien Nsabimana.
Legal proceedings
August 8, 2007: The Prosecutor General of the Republic of Rwanda, Martin Ngoga, sent an arrest warrant against Neretse for “genocide and criminal conspiracy”, accompanied by the extradition request.<br />
In 2008: The CPCR filed a new complaint against Neretse. He was located in Angoulême by the CPCR under the name Fabien Nsabimana.<br />
June 24, 2011: Jean Coumas, a Belgian judge, issued another arrest warrant against Neretse for the deaths of Claire Beckers and her family.<br />
June 29, 2011: Neretse was arrested by the French authorities.<br />
August 30, 2011: He was extradited to Belgium.<br />
December 19, 2019: The Brussels Assize Court found Neretse guilty of “genocide” and “war crimes” and sentenced him to 25 years in prison.<br />
May 27, 2020: The Belgian Supreme Court upheld the 25-year prison sentence.</p>
Complaint
Names of NGOs / Victim(s)
LDH
Survie
CPCR
Legal basis for jurisdiction (article)
Court of Assizes judgment
Court of Appeal ruling
Court of Cassation ruling
Sources
CPCR, « Fabien Neretse alias Fabien Nsabimanba »
Survie, « Nos actions judiciaires concernant le génocide des Tutsis au Rwanda », 2019