Joseph Nzirorera (59), an accused in the ongoing trial of former leaders of the Mouvement Républicain pour la Démocratie et le Développement (MRND) passed away in Arusha on 1 July 2010, following sudden complications of a long illness. The case of Nzirorera was before Trial Chamber III. His Defence was at the final stage of the presentation of its case, with his last witness undergoing cross-examination.

Nzirorera was former President of the National Assembly and Secretary-General of the MRND. He was jointly tried with Edouard Karemera, former Minister of Interior and Vice-President of the MRND and Mathieu Ngirumpatse former DirectorGeneral of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Karemera et al. case.

The three were jointly charged with seven counts of conspiracy to commit genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, genocide, complicity in genocide (as an alternative to genocide), crimes against humanity (rape, extermination) and serious violations of Article 3 common to the Geneva Conventions and Additional Protocol II.

The family and his lawyers have been informed and the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda extends its condolences to the family of Joseph Nzirorera.