afrol News, 11 July - Rwandan senators have unanimously approved the abolution of the death penalty for all sorts of crimes, including those relating to genocide.

The senators threaded along the same line with the country's lower house of parliament. It was first initiated by the ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front before getting the blessings of the cabinet.

Rwandans are now waiting for President Paul Kagame to finally approve the law. And according to Justice Minister, Tharcisse Karugam, the law would be promulgated before the end of this month.

The promulgation of the law means that all those expected to taste death penalty would have their convictions overturned to life imprisonment.

In a nutshell, the lives of at least 600 Rwandan citizens would be spared.

It was part of a key condition advanced by the Arusha-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) for the transfer of suspects charged with the 100-day long genocide in 1994 to the Rwandan judiciary.

The UN-backed tribunal is expected to wind up proceedings next year, which makes the transfer of genocide suspects to Rwanda a necessity. It is estimated that 800,000 people died during the genocide.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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