A man accused of taking part in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda has been extradited from Norway, officials in both countries confirmed on Friday, August 8, 2025.
Francois Gasana, 53, was arrested in Norway in 2022, following a request from the Rwandan government. He was accused of committing murder during the genocide, which claimed around 800,000 lives, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, over 100 days of violence.
An Oslo court approved his extradition in 2023, and after his appeal was rejected, the Norwegian government finalized the extradition in June 2025. Gasana was then sent back to Rwanda earlier this month.
“He returned to the country following his extraction from the Kingdom of Norway,” said Faustin Nkusi, spokesperson for Rwanda’s National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA).
Gasana had previously been convicted in absentia by a local Gacaca court in Nyange, which sentenced him to 19 years in prison for genocide-related crimes. These community-based courts were created in Rwanda after the genocide to promote justice and reconciliation.
However, Rwandan law allows for a fresh trial once a suspect returns. According to Nkusi, the earlier Gacaca ruling is now nullified, and Gasana has already hired his own lawyer.
It is still unclear when the new trial will begin.
During the 1994 genocide, Gasana lived in Rwanda’s Western Province and attended Save Secondary School, though further details of his alleged actions have not been made public.
The genocide was sparked by the assassination of then-President Juvenal Habyarimana in April 1994. In response, ethnic Hutu extremists began a coordinated campaign to eliminate the Tutsi population and moderate Hutus.
Rwanda praised Norway for its cooperation in extraditing genocide suspects and supporting international justice efforts.
“We thank Norway for helping us fight impunity and for their continued legal cooperation,” said Nkusi.
Ahishakiye Naphtal, the executive secretary of Rwanda’s main genocide survivors’ group, Ibuka, welcomed Gasana’s return, describing him as a young man who was influenced by genocide ideology.
“He committed serious crimes, but we know many others are still hiding abroad,” Naphtal said, urging other countries to follow Norway’s example.
Norway has been active in responding to extradition requests from Rwanda and is among a handful of Western countries that have convicted genocide suspects under universal jurisdiction laws. Several cases have been successfully tried in Europe since 2009.
According to the Norwegian government, the final decision to extradite Gasana was made by the King in Council — a formal legal step — on June 24, 2025.
