The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, composed of Judge Patrick Robinson, presiding, Judge Fausto Pocar, Judge Liu Daqun, Judge Theodor Meron, and Judge Carmel Agius, today heard oral arguments in the appeals lodged by Tharcisse Muvunyi and the Prosecution against the Judgement pronounced by Trial Chamber III on 11 February 2010.

The Trial Chamber convicted Muvunyi of direct and public incitement to commit genocide based on his statements made at a public meeting at the Gikore Trade Center and sentenced him to 15 years of imprisonment. This conviction followed a retrial ordered by the Appeals Chamber on this allegation on 29 August 2008.

Muvunyi contends that the Trial Chamber committed a number of errors of fact and law, and accordingly requests the Appeals Chamber to overturn his conviction or in the alternative to reduce his sentence. The Prosecution requests the Appeals Chamber to increase Muvunyi’s sentence to 25 years of imprisonment.

Muvunyi was born on 19 August 1953 in Mukarange Commune, Byumba Prefecture, Rwanda. In 1994, he held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Rwandan army and was stationed at the Ecole des Sous-Officiers in Butare Prefecture