On Thursday 14 August 1997, six of the eight persons apprehended on 18 and 23 July 1997 by the Kenyan authorities at the request of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), will appear before Judge Laïty Kama, President of the Tribunal, for a public inter partes hearing to decide whether to release them or to extend their detention.

On 18 and 23 July 1997, eight persons were arrested during operation "NAKI" (Nairobi- Kigali) and were immediately transferred to the ICTR Detention Facility in Arusha.

Among these eight persons, six have not yet been indicted. They are only suspected of having participated in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and are in detention for a period of thirty days only, pursuant to orders issued by Judge Kama. The 30-day period expires on 18 August 1997. Rule 40 bis of the ICTR Rules of Procedure and Evidence stipulates that at the end of the 30-day detention period, a Judge may decide, at the Prosecutor's request and subsequent to an inter partes hearing, to extend the detention for a further period not exceeding 30 days.

The suspects who will appear on Thursday, 14 August 1997 are: Jean Kambanda, former Prime Minister; Hassan Ngeze, former Editor-in-Chief of the Kangura newspaper; Sylvain Nsabimana, former Prefect of Butare; Aloys Ntabakuze, former Commander of the Para-Commando Battalion; Gratien Kabiligi, Colonel and former Officer in the General Staff of the Rwandan Army; Georges Henri Yvon Joseph Omar Ruggiu, the only non-Rwandan apprehended by the ICTR to date and former journalist and presenter at Radio Télévision des Mille Collines (RTLM) .