KIGALI, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The Rwandan government has petitioned the UN Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) based in Arusha, Tanzania, to challenge a request for early release by three Rwandan prisoners who were convicted of genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).
A copy of a petition shared to media on Wednesday showed that the government wrote to MICT judge Theodor Meron on June 11, seeking to block early release of prisoners Aloys Simba, Dominique Ntawukulilyayo and Hassan Ngeze.
The trio's application for early release was filed on May 22.
The government cited several reasons why the trio does not deserve early release.
"These prisoners stand convicted of genocide crimes that offend all standards of humanity, morality and decency. Their victims and survivors are in millions, and the harm they inflicted on Rwanda and Rwandans continues almost 25 years later," read the petition.
The government in its petition contended that the three prisoners have never shown remorse for their crimes. It also argued the early release of the trio would be in contravention of the MICT Statute, international legal standards and would be contrary to precedent.
Over one million people mainly Tutsi and moderate Hutu were killed in the Rwandan genocide in 1994.
