French court to rule on Rwanda genocide case against former first lady 06.05.2026

France's judiciary will rule on Wednesday in a long-running investigation targeting Agathe Habyarimana, the 83-year-old widow of former Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana, concerning her alleged involvement in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Prosecutors and civil parties seek her indictment for complicity in genocide and crimes against humanity, allegations she consistently denies. Under investigation since 2007 without formal charges, she held assisted witness status until 2025 when Paris judges dismissed the case for insufficient evidence, describing her as a victim of the attack that killed her husband. That dismissal is now appealed, with the Advocate General citing "serious and corroborating evidence" of her role in the Akazu elite circle and incomplete inquiries. The ruling will test France's capacity to deliver justice for historical genocide atrocities.















