Paul Barril was accused of complicity in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He died before trial and Rwandans in France say the case must not die with him.
The Rwandan Community of France (CRF) has sharply criticised French judicial authorities for failing to bring former French gendarmerie captain Paul Barril to justice over allegations of complicity in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, following his death at age 80 on Tuesday, October 21.
Barril, who once headed the anti-terrorism unit at the Élysée Palace, was accused of maintaining close ties with Rwanda’s interim government during the Genocide that claimed more than one million lives. French prosecutors launched an investigation into the allegations in 2013, but the case never reached trial.
‘A Serious Failure’
In a statement issued Wednesday, the CRF said Barril died without being tried over allegations that he helped sustain the government responsible for the Genocide, describing the outcome as “a serious failure in the search for truth and accountability.”
The community insisted that his death should not end efforts to establish the facts surrounding his alleged activities and the role of other individuals who may have been involved.
The CRF also called for an examination of the obstacles that hampered investigations into Barril’s activities, including difficulties accessing archives that could have shed light on his dealings with Rwandan and French officials. It further questioned whether Barril had received any form of protection that prevented the allegations against him from being fully examined in court.
“How can we accept that accusations of such gravity were never examined in a trial?” the statement asked.
2013 Complaint Led to Judicial Investigation
In June 2013, three French human rights organisations the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the French Human Rights League (LDH), and Survie filed a complaint against Barril at the Tribunal de Paris over his alleged complicity in the Genocide.
The complaint concerned allegations that Barril had entered into an agreement with Jean Kambanda, then prime minister of Rwanda’s interim government, to provide arms, ammunition, military training, and supervision. The organisations sought to establish whether his alleged assistance had contributed to the interim government’s efforts to remain in power as the Genocide unfolded.
The complaint led to the opening of a judicial investigation, paving the way for an independent inquiry. However, Barril died before the case could reach trial.
Alleged Arms Contract Under Scrutiny
Barril’s alleged involvement had attracted attention following reports about a military assistance contract signed with Kambanda on May 28, 1994—after the United Nations had imposed an arms embargo on Rwanda.
French media also reported that a letter dated April 27, 1994, from then Rwandan Defence Minister Augustin Bizimana requested weapons and 1,000 mercenaries to help the interim government fight the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF).
The allegations concerning the supply of arms, mercenaries, and military assistance have remained central to questions about Barril’s activities during the Genocide.
Calls for Continued Accountability
When the investigation was launched in 2013, Rwanda’s then National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) welcomed the move. Its executive secretary at the time, Jean de Dieu Mucyo, and then Ibuka president Jean-Pierre Dusingizemungu described it as an important step towards justice.
Dusingizemungu, however, said accountability should extend beyond Barril to other French officials who held senior military positions during the Genocide.
The CRF said that more than three decades after the Genocide against the Tutsi, victims and their families were still owed the truth.
“Paul Barril’s death must not close the case,” the community said, urging French authorities to pursue every available avenue to establish responsibility and ensure accountability.
