The decision, issued on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, overturns a previous ruling by investigative judges on August 21, 2025, which had ordered the closure of the case due to what they described as insufficient evidence linking Kanziga to the crimes.
Richard Gisagara, a lawyer representing civil parties in genocide-related cases in France, welcomed the ruling, describing it as “good news” and asserting that Kanziga would ultimately face justice. Writing on X, he stated: “She will not escape justice.”
France’s National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT), which has jurisdiction over genocide and crimes against humanity, had challenged the earlier decision, arguing that key evidence and witness testimonies had been overlooked. It called for further investigative steps to be undertaken.
The case dates back to 2008, when civil party organisations filed a complaint in France seeking an investigation into Kanziga, now aged 83, for alleged involvement in genocide and crimes against humanity.
In February 2022, judges had initially ordered the case closed, citing a lack of substantive evidence. That conclusion was reaffirmed in the August 2025 decision, before being overturned on appeal.
Kanziga was evacuated from Rwanda on April 9, 1994, under orders from then French President François Mitterrand. As a result, earlier investigations focused primarily on the first three days of the genocide.
In September 2024, PNAT criticised the scope of the inquiry, noting that it had been limited in duration, narrow in focus, and based on a relatively small number of witness accounts.
Prosecutors have since called for the investigation to be expanded to cover the period from March 1 to April 9, 1994, and have also raised allegations regarding Kanziga’s potential involvement in the planning of the genocide.
Following the 2025 decision to halt the investigation, civil party organisations expressed concern over the judges’ reasoning. They argued that it was inconsistent to conclude that Kanziga was not part of the so-called “Akazu”, an inner circle of family members and close associates of Habyarimana widely alleged to have played a key role in orchestrating the Genocide against the Tutsi, despite evidence suggesting her inclusion.
The organisations also criticised the reliance on testimony from controversial figures, including Gaspard Musabyimana, who was treated as an expert witness despite his known association with RTLM, a media outlet that broadcast hate propaganda during the genocide.
Musabyimana has also been described as having supported genocide denial and the Habyarimana government, including through a publishing house he established in Belgium.
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