Rwanda Genocide Financier Suspect Félicien Kabuga Dies in Custody

Russian outlets report Kabuga’s death in neutral terms but use it to question the effectiveness and fairness of international criminal courts. Coverage points to the long delay between the 1994 genocide and his arrest and to the fact that he died before a verdict as signs that these courts are slow and selective. Commentators in this block suggest that powerful Western states shape which suspects are pursued and how long cases drag on.

• •Kabuga’s decades-long evasion and death before conviction show that international tribunals are slow and inefficient.
• •Russian commentary links Kabuga’s case to claims that Western countries use international courts mainly against weaker states.
• •The fact that Kabuga was arrested in France after many years is presented as proof that Western governments could have acted earlier.
• •Russian outlets highlight that Kabuga was declared unfit for trial, arguing that this made the long pursuit largely symbolic.
• •Coverage suggests that future atrocity cases should rely more on national courts than on international tribunals based in Europe.