HOLY SEE SATISFACTION OVER ACQUITTAL OF BISHOP MISAGO

VATICAN CITY, JUN 16, 2000 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls made the following declaration:

"The Holy See has learned with great satisfaction the news, made public today, of the acquittal of Bishop Augustin Misago of Gikongoro, Rwanda, from all charges in the trial in which he was accused of having planned the genocide perpetrated in the country in 1994. This sentence was reached thanks to an able defense.

"We can only be happy that the truth has been recognized and we hope that, for the thousands of people who are still in Rwandan jails for crimes of genocide, an impartial juridical solution may also be found, avoiding in all cases recourse to the death penalty.
"It is to be hoped that this constructive event may also have a positive effect on Church-State relations in a nation so sadly marked by the immense tragedy of genocide."

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