Hassan Ngeze
Encyclopedia
Hassan Ngeze is a Rwanda
n journalist
, best known for publishing the "Hutu Ten Commandments
", which fomented anti-Tutsi
feeling among Rwandan Hutus prior to the Rwandan Genocide
.
Ngeze was born in Rubavu Commune, Gisenyi Prefecture, in Rwanda. He is a Muslim
, of Hutu
ethnicity. In 1990, he founded the newspaper Kangura
, initially intended as a counterweight to the popular anti-government newspaper Kanguka. Kangura was financed by high-level members in the ruling MRND
party, and later the extremist Coalition for the Defence of the Republic
, and thus had extensive links to the Akazu
, the network of President Juvénal Habyarimana
.
In December 1990, Ngeze published the Hutu Ten Commandments (sometimes called the Ten Commandments of the Bahutu), which made disparaging remarks about Tutsis in general and Tutsi women in particular.
In 1993, Ngeze became a shareholder
and correspondent
for the newly-founded Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines
(RTLM), which was largely a radio equivalent of Kangura.
, Ngeze provided RTLM with names of people to be killed in his prefecture, which were broadcast on air. He was interviewed by RTLM and Radio Rwanda several times between April and June 1994, and in these broadcasts called for the extermination of the Tutsis and Hutus in opposition to the government.
At the same time, Kangura published lists of people to be eliminated by the military and the Interahamwe
and Impuzamugambi
militias during the genocide.
Ngeze is alleged to have personally supervised and taken part in torture
, mass rape
, and killings in his native Gisenyi Prefecture. He was also an organizer of the Impuzamugambi
militia.
Ngeze fled Rwanda in June 1994 as the country fell to the RPF. He was arrested in Mombasa
, Kenya
on July 18, 1997, and was sentenced to life imprisonment
in 2003, by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
. In 2007, the Appeals Chamber of the ICTR reversed some of his convictions, but confirmed others. It also changed his life sentence to one of 35 years' imprisonment.
On 3 December 2008 he was sent to Mali
to serve his sentence of imprisonment.
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
n journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, best known for publishing the "Hutu Ten Commandments
Hutu Ten Commandments
The "Hutu Ten Commandments" was a document published in the December 1990 edition of Kangura, an anti-Tutsi, pro-Hutu, Kinyarwanda-language newspaper in Kigali, Rwanda...
", which fomented anti-Tutsi
Tutsi
The Tutsi , or Abatutsi, are an ethnic group in Central Africa. Historically they were often referred to as the Watussi or Watusi. They are the second largest caste in Rwanda and Burundi, the other two being the Hutu and the Twa ....
feeling among Rwandan Hutus prior to the Rwandan Genocide
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
.
Ngeze was born in Rubavu Commune, Gisenyi Prefecture, in Rwanda. He is a Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, of Hutu
Hutu
The Hutu , or Abahutu, are a Central African people, living mainly in Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DR Congo.-Population statistics:The Hutu are the largest of the three peoples in Burundi and Rwanda; according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency, 84% of Rwandans and 85% of Burundians...
ethnicity. In 1990, he founded the newspaper Kangura
Kangura
Kangura was a Kinyarwanda- and French-language magazine in Rwanda that served to stoke ethnic hatred in the run-up to the Rwandan Genocide. It was established in 1990, following the invasion of the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front , and continued publishing up to the genocide...
, initially intended as a counterweight to the popular anti-government newspaper Kanguka. Kangura was financed by high-level members in the ruling MRND
Mouvement républicain national pour la démocratie et le développement
National Republican Movement for Democracy and Development was the ruling political party of Rwanda from 1975 to 1994 under President Juvénal Habyarimana. It was dominated by Hutus, particularly from President Habyarimana's home region of Northern Rwanda...
party, and later the extremist Coalition for the Defence of the Republic
Coalition for the Defence of the Republic
The Coalition for the Defence of the Republic was a Rwandan genocidal Hutu political party founded by Juvénal Habyarimana in march 1992. The Coalition for the Defence of the Republic was allied with the ruling Mouvement républicain national pour la démocratie et le développement party...
, and thus had extensive links to the Akazu
Akazu
The Akazu was an informal organization of Hutu extremists, a circle of relatives and close friends of then Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana and his influential wife Agathe Habyarimana...
, the network of President Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana was the third President of the Republic of Rwanda, the post he held longer than any other president to date, from 1973 until 1994. During his 20-year rule he favored his own ethnic group, the Hutus, and supported the Hutu majority in neighboring Burundi against the Tutsi...
.
In December 1990, Ngeze published the Hutu Ten Commandments (sometimes called the Ten Commandments of the Bahutu), which made disparaging remarks about Tutsis in general and Tutsi women in particular.
In 1993, Ngeze became a shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
and correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for the newly-founded Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines
Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines
Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines was a Rwandan radio station which broadcast from July 8, 1993 to July 31, 1994. It played a significant role during the April–July 1994 Rwandan Genocide....
(RTLM), which was largely a radio equivalent of Kangura.
Genocide
During the Rwandan GenocideRwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
, Ngeze provided RTLM with names of people to be killed in his prefecture, which were broadcast on air. He was interviewed by RTLM and Radio Rwanda several times between April and June 1994, and in these broadcasts called for the extermination of the Tutsis and Hutus in opposition to the government.
At the same time, Kangura published lists of people to be eliminated by the military and the Interahamwe
Interahamwe
The Interahamwe is a Hutu paramilitary organization. The militia enjoyed the backing of the Hutu-led government leading up to, during, and after the Rwandan Genocide. Since the genocide, they have been forced out of Rwanda, and have sought asylum in Congo...
and Impuzamugambi
Impuzamugambi
The Impuzamugambi , which means "Those who have the same goal" or "Those who have a single goal" in the Kinyarwanda language, was a Hutu militia in Rwanda formed in 1992...
militias during the genocide.
Ngeze is alleged to have personally supervised and taken part in torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
, mass rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, and killings in his native Gisenyi Prefecture. He was also an organizer of the Impuzamugambi
Impuzamugambi
The Impuzamugambi , which means "Those who have the same goal" or "Those who have a single goal" in the Kinyarwanda language, was a Hutu militia in Rwanda formed in 1992...
militia.
Ngeze fled Rwanda in June 1994 as the country fell to the RPF. He was arrested in Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
on July 18, 1997, and was sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
in 2003, by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nations Security Council in Resolution 955 in order to judge people responsible for the Rwandan Genocide and other serious violations of international law in Rwanda, or by Rwandan...
. In 2007, the Appeals Chamber of the ICTR reversed some of his convictions, but confirmed others. It also changed his life sentence to one of 35 years' imprisonment.
On 3 December 2008 he was sent to Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
to serve his sentence of imprisonment.