A French court has sentenced a Cameroonian journalist and author Charles Onana and his publishing director Damien Serieyx, with crimes denial and belittling of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
These were considered to have been committed through the book published on October 30, 2019, entitled “Rwanda, la vérité sur l’Operation Turquoise: Quand les archives parles” (“Rwanda: The Truth about Operation Turquoise,”).
The book criticizes, distorts historical facts and downplays the atrocities of the Genocide against the Tutsi.
Under French law, it is an offence to deny or “minimise” the fact of any genocide that is officially recognised by France.
Based on evidence in the civil case (for “publicly contesting a crime against humanity”) filled by advocacy groups- Survie, Collective of Civil Parties for Rwanda (CPCR), and Ibuka France- which represent Genocide survivors, the 17th Criminal Chamber of the Paris Judicial Court which sat on Monday, December 9, described the writings as an “endless deployment of negationist ideology.”
Onama, 60, a Cameroonian-French Investigative journalist, Political scientist, who was mentored by Pierre Pean, in a career of denial that spans over two decades, has written eight books on Rwanda, each one a travesty of the truth, each intended to rewrite history, denying the Genocide Against Tutsi- albeitted in subtle tones.
Rather than being censured, Onama had become a celebrity, feted, a regular speaker at major events.
The French court decided that Onama will serve a fine equivalent to 120 days of a daily minimum wage in France, which is equal to 70 euros (€) per day. – that is €8,400 (after tax)
Onama will also compensate the three suing parties (association), where Ibuka France will get € 1,000 euros, and the others will get €2,000 each.
Onama’s publishing director- Damien Serieyx was charged with a fine of €5,000.
Conditions and Reaction:
The two convicted men can appeal the ruling but this doesn’t remove the fine of 120 days but if they pay it in 30 days the court said that they can get a reduction of 20% (and not more the €1500. Also if the win the appeal case, the duo can be refunded the paid fine.
Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe said that he was pleased with the decision of the Criminal Court of Paris in France.
Nduhungirehe hoped that this extraordinary decision will discourage journalists, writers and politicians working in Europe and the region who deny and belittle the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
