KIGALI - The government has approved plans to empower courts to use the universal jurisdictions against foreigners who, in one way or the other, played a hand in the 1994 Tutsi Genocide. This was revealed to The New Times Monday by the Minister of Information, Louise Mushikiwabo.

She said the new move was approved by the cabinet in its last session after the suggestion was first mooted in parliament.

"Rwanda has valid grounds to pursue non-Rwandans who were involved in the 1994 Tutsi Genocide. This will be done within the confines of international law,” she said.

Mushikiwabo added that the law would not be solely limited to the crime of genocide though at the moment it was the priority.

She explained that unlike the recent French and Spanish indictments against Rwandan officials, who, she said, used unverified evidence and "did not even have the courage to inform the concerned parties,” the standards of international judicial law would be followed here.

She denied it was a tit-for-tat against the French and Spanish indictments, though she referred to them as "unfair and insulting,” and that the matter would be raised in the next African Union summit.

"The government is keen to see our prosecution put out these indictments so that Rwandans aggrieved by foreigners get relief.”

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