Survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi have expressed disappointment over a decision by a French court to grant provisional release to genocide convict Laurent Bucyibaruta on medical grounds pending his appeal trial.

The Cour d’Assises de Paris on July 12 handed a 20 year prison sentence to Bucyibaruta after he was convicted of complicity in Genocide and crimes against humanity during the Genocide in Gikogoro where he served as the prefet.

He was immediately put into custody after the ruling on the order of the judge.

However, he appealed against the court decision and on September 12, he was granted provisional release on medical grounds.

Reacting to the court decision, Egide Nkuranga, the president of Ibuka, an umbrella association of survivors of the 1994 Genocide, said that this was not the justice they expected.

He pointed out that releasing him rounds may lead to delay of justice because he may use this excuse to delay the appeal case so that he does not go back to prison until he dies.

Nkuranga said that similar tactics were being used by other genocidaires like Felicien Kabuga, who are likely to die before justice is served. Bucyibaruta is currently 78.

Furthermore, Nkuranga pointed out that such incidence encourages Genocide deniers and people who are not happy with the ties between the two countries (France and Rwanda).

He added that they are currently working closely with Ibuka France to come up with a response to the court decision.

Caritas Mukangango, a widowed survivor from Nyamagabe an area where Bucyibaruta led mass killings also condemned the killings.

"Initially, we wanted him to be tried in Rwanda and never got that, and now granting him a provisional release is another fail for us as survivors, especially we who witnessed first-hand the atrocities he committed,” she said.

Mukangango added that such decision also to trivialises the crime of Genocide.

Bernard Mutagomwa, another survivor from Nyamgabe said that already had received a lenient sentence compared to what he did, adding that this latest decision was a thorn in the flesh for survivors.

According to the court, Bucyibaruta had been hospitalised since he was committed to prison and in ruling for his release, the judge said that no prison had facilities to take care of him in his current condition.

In addition, the court said he is eligible for provisional release arguing that Bucyibaruta was not a flight risk nor a threat to public order given his current condition.

Who is Bucyibaruta

Born in 1944 in the former Gikongoro prefecture Bucyibaruta became the prefet of his home prefecture on July 4, 1992, and held the position until July 1994. He was a senior official in the MRND genocidal party and was the head of the prefectural committee of the Interahamwe militia, the youth organization that executed the genocide.

In December 1993, during a public rally at Gikongoro market, he made a speech in which he encouraged financial contributions from the population to buy arms to fight the "Tutsi enemy”.

Bucyibaruta further ordered, on several occasions, soldiers and Interahamwe militia in his command to commit several massacres against the Tutsis.

Additionally, on April 10, 1994, Bucyibaruta encouraged many Tutsi to go to the Murambi Technical School where they were promised food. However, the Tutsis who gathered in the school were killed on April 20 and April 21, 1994, by gendarmes, policemen, and armed Interahamwe. Over 50,000 were killed at the school.

Bucyibaruta fled Rwanda for France in 1997.