Deputy Chief Justice Says Human Rights Instruments not Exploited

Rwanda’s Deputy Chief Justice, Sylvie Kayitesi Zainabu has requested Judges to fully exploit the existing international human rights instruments that the country has ratified.

She said that international human rights law has precedence over the national laws, as stipulated in the constitution. The same applies to other international treaties and conventions that Rwanda has ratified.

Kayitesi made the remarks while officially launching a two-day workshop that drew 47 judges from allover the country. The workshop focused on building the capacity of Intermediate and Primary Courts’ judges on incorporating international human rights law in the domestic judicial system.

The workshop was organized by the One UN Rwanda, in collaboration with the Supreme Court and the Institute of Legal Practice and Development (ILPD), the workshop is the final training of a capacity-building programme on International law of Human Rights, which has reached more than 160 judges across Rwanda since January.