Callixte Kalimanzira, former Acting Minister of Interior of Rwanda in April and May 1994, today made his initial appearance before Judge Asoka N. de Silva and pleaded not guilty to three counts charging him with genocide, in the alternative complicity in genocide, and with direct and public incitement to commit genocide.

The accused is alleged to have coordinated efforts to commence the killings of Tutsis in Butare prefecture, where Tutsis had not been subject to widespread attacks between 6 April and 19 April 1994.

He is specifically charged with giving inflammatory speeches that called for the elimination of all Tutsis, including women, children and the elderly. He is also charged with distributing weapons to be used in the massacres of Tutsis and with supervising the killings of thousands of Tutsis at their places of refuge. Kalimanzira is alleged to have personally beaten some Tutsis to death. The accused denied all the charges. He was assisted by a duty counsel. The date of his trial will be fixed later.

The Tribunal took custody of Kalimanzira on 8 November 2005 when the accused surrendered to Tanzanian authorities in Arusha.

His surrender brings to 72 the number of accused persons who have been arrested by the Tribunal.