The ruling concerns Claude Muhayimana, 52, who has had French citizenship since 2010, and Innocent Musabyimana, 41. However, the ruling is not final since the lawyer for the two, Philippe Meilhac, immediately announced a further appeal to the Court of Cassation, reports AFP.
The outcome will thus depend on the decision of the highest court in the land. If the decision is confirmed, the French government will also have to sign an extradition decree before the two men can be transferred to the Rwandan judicial authorities.
Whereas countries like Canada, the United States and Norway have in recent years granted extradition of genocide suspects to Kigali, the French judicial authorities have never so far agreed to Rwandan extradition requests.
“The court considers that on return to your country, your life would not be in danger and you would have the conditions for a fair trial,” Judge Jean Bartholin told the two Rwandans.
ER/JC