The Prosecutor the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has decided to appeal against the sentence of 15 years imprisonment imposed on Athanase Seromba, former priest of Nyange Parish, Kivumu commune. The Prosecutor is also appealing against certain other findings of the Trial Chamber.

A statement issued today said the Prosecutor, having reviewed the judgement and the findings of the Trial Chamber that the accused is guilty of the crime of crimes, namely genocide; and of extermination, as a crime against humanity, considers the sentence inadequate under the circumstances.

On 13 December 2006, Trial Chamber III of the ICTR found Seromba guilty of genocide and extermination as a crime against humanity. He was sentenced to a single term of 15 years imprisonment with credit of 4 years he spent at the United Nations Detention Facility (UNDF) in Arusha. The trial Chamber found that Seromba aided and abetted in the killing of at least 1,500 people who sought refuge in his church at the Nyange Parish.