Dutch court sentences Rwandan to life for 1994 genocide

A Dutch court sentenced a Rwandan man to life in prison on Friday for his role in the 1994 genocide, finding him guilty of war crimes and genocide for his part in the massacre of approximately 3,000 Tutsis at a stadium. The Hague District Court convicted Eugene N., identified as 66 years old, for directing attackers and personally throwing a grenade into a crowd of Tutsis sheltering in a football stadium in Mbazi, southern Rwanda, in April 1994.

The court stated that Eugene N. prevented Tutsis from escaping the stadium and was involved in preceding attacks where homes were looted and set ablaze in two predominantly Tutsi communities. Judges noted that his actions were committed with genocidal intent and established a significant lack of respect for human dignity and life. "Only a lifelong prison sentence does justice to the immense suffering that has been inflicted on the victims and the bereaved families," the court said in its verdict. He was acquitted of the separate charge of incitement to genocide.

At the time of the massacres, Eugene N. held a position of responsibility in the community, overseeing around 1,000 people in Mbazi. The court emphasized that as a local...