The Rwandan government has begun a commission into a BBC documentary that it accuses of genocide denial and violating media ethics this week.
The commission, led by the former Prosecutor-General Martin Ngoga,begun hearing testimonies this week with Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) chairperson Fred Muvunyi calling for the prosecution of those involved in the documentary.
"The documentary lacks in basic journalistic standards, it violated many principles and laws and this is why we request that in your final recommendations, you mention the need to take a legal action since there are criminal elements," said Muvunyi.
He went on to call for those involved to be prosecuted, highlighting the role played by the documentary's producer Jane Corbin.
"Corbin interviewed Prof. Allan Stam who claimed that only 200,000 Tutsi were killed in the Genocide. This statement clearly minimises the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi where official figures indicate that over a million Tutsi were killed in the Genocide as it is proved by the United Nations Security Council resolution 2150.”
“The same resolution calls for prosecution of anyone who denies the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda," he said.
The commission of inquiry was set up by the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (Rura), which last month also suspended BBC Kinyarwanda broadcasts in Rwanda.
Also see our earlier posts:
Rwanda bans BBC broadcasts in protest of genocide documentary (25 October 2014)
Rwandan parliament calls for genocide denial charges against BBC documentary producers (24 October 2014)
Rwandan president accuses BBC of 'genocide denial' (15 October 2014)
BBC accused of giving voice to genocide deniers by Rwandan survivors groups (11 October 2014)
The commission, led by the former Prosecutor-General Martin Ngoga,begun hearing testimonies this week with Rwanda Media Commission (RMC) chairperson Fred Muvunyi calling for the prosecution of those involved in the documentary.
"The documentary lacks in basic journalistic standards, it violated many principles and laws and this is why we request that in your final recommendations, you mention the need to take a legal action since there are criminal elements," said Muvunyi.
He went on to call for those involved to be prosecuted, highlighting the role played by the documentary's producer Jane Corbin.
"Corbin interviewed Prof. Allan Stam who claimed that only 200,000 Tutsi were killed in the Genocide. This statement clearly minimises the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi where official figures indicate that over a million Tutsi were killed in the Genocide as it is proved by the United Nations Security Council resolution 2150.”
“The same resolution calls for prosecution of anyone who denies the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda," he said.
The commission of inquiry was set up by the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (Rura), which last month also suspended BBC Kinyarwanda broadcasts in Rwanda.
Also see our earlier posts:
Rwanda bans BBC broadcasts in protest of genocide documentary (25 October 2014)
Rwandan parliament calls for genocide denial charges against BBC documentary producers (24 October 2014)
Rwandan president accuses BBC of 'genocide denial' (15 October 2014)
BBC accused of giving voice to genocide deniers by Rwandan survivors groups (11 October 2014)