Andrew Mitchell has criticised the arrest in London of Rwanda’s head of intelligence, saying it is an “abuse” of the European Arrest Warrant.
Karenzi Karake was detained at Heathrow airport on Saturday on an arrest warrant issued by a Spanish judge in 2008.
The British High Commission in Rwanda said the arrest was a “legal obligation” and stressed its desire for the UK and Rwanda to maintain close relations.
Mr Mitchell, the former international development secretary, told the Today programme the indictment was a political act and a “reprehensible” use of the EAW.
“It’s a misuse of the European Arrest Warrant system,” the Tory MP said.
“It’s being used for political reasons and not for judicial ones and it’s politically motivated, enacted by supporters of the genocidal regime in Rwanda which killed one million people and it’s being used against those who stopped that genocide.”
Mr Mitchell described the indictment as having been brought by a “junior Spanish judge” and he echoed US concerns about the case.
“As the Americans said, this is unresearched, politically motivated and lacking in facts and I agree with the American analysis of that,” he said.
Source: Politics Home website
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