We welcome the arrest in France of Félicien Kabuga, who had been wanted since 1997 under international criminal jurisdiction for genocide and crimes against humanity.

First of all, the arrest is a great success for the International Criminal Tribunal and the French justice system. It sends a strong signal in the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes: even a quarter of a century later, those accused of perpetrating such crimes should know that they can be called to account by the international community at any time. The horrific crimes which Félicien Kabuga stands accused of committing during the genocide in Rwanda in 1994 can only be dealt with by due process of law. Germany’s support for international criminal jurisdiction, for example the International Criminal Court, the International Residual Mechanism and other special tribunals, represents a key contribution towards international law and justice.

However, this is also the time to remember the victims of the genocide in Rwanda as well as all other victims of the most serious crimes against international law and their families.