{"id":108582,"date":"2025-08-29T17:16:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T17:16:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo"},"modified":"2025-08-29T17:50:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T17:50:06","slug":"french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo","title":{"rendered":"French Mayor Rejects Burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Serge Grouard, the Mayor of French city of Orle\u0301ans, has revoked authorization for the burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo, the former Prefect of Ruhengeri at the city\u2019s municipal cemetery, citing his links to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the 1985 murder of American zoologist Dian Fossey.<\/p>\n

The decision follows concerns raised by Genocide survivors’ associations and other advocacy groups in France.<\/p>\n

Zigiranyirazo, brother-in-law of former Rwandan President Juve\u0301nal Habyarimana, was part of Akazu, an elite group that implemented the Genocide, which claimed more than one million lives.<\/p>\n

Zigiranyirazo died on August 4 in Niamey, Niger, where he had been living under United Nations supervision. His burial in Orle\u0301ans had been scheduled for August 28, following a religious ceremony planned at the Saint-Paterne church.<\/p>\n

On August 26, Mayor Grouard issued a decree revoking the authorization initially granted on August 20. In his ruling, the mayor stressed that allowing the burial would constitute a risk to public order and an affront to the memory of victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the sensitive nature and exceptional gravity of the acts attributed to the person concerned, which constitute crimes against humanity recognized by international law, the burial of Zigiranyirazo in the Orle\u0301ans municipal cemetery is refused for reasons of public order,\u201d Mayor Grouard said in the official decree.<\/p>\n

The mayor further emphasized that the presence of several hundred expected attendees, alongside private security services, could have triggered \u201cserious disturbances to public order.\u201d He also warned of the risk that Zigiranyirazo\u2019s grave could become a site of \u201cgathering, commemoration, or exaltation\u201d for genocide perpetrators and sympathizers.<\/p>\n

Zigiranyirazo\u2019s controversial history<\/p>\n

Also known as \u201cMr Zed,\u201d Zigiranyirazo was a key figure in Rwanda\u2019s genocidal regime. In 2008, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) sentenced him to 20 years in prison for genocide and extermination. However, in 2009, he was acquitted on appeal.<\/p>\n

Associations raise alarm<\/p>\n

The decision to cancel the burial followed a request from various advocacy groups, including Ibuka France and the Collectif des Parties Civiles pour le Rwanda (CPCR).<\/p>\n

Ibuka France had earlier expressed concerns, saying: \u201cThat France, which had refused [Zigiranyirazo] hospitality during his lifetime, accepts to welcome his remains constitutes an offense to memory. This ceremony risks transforming Orle\u0301ans into a gathering place for nostalgics of the genocidal regime.\u201d<\/p>\n

The association further recalled that France had already allowed the burials of Jean Bosco Barayagwiza, one of the founders of the hate radio RTLM, and Colonel Anatole Nsengiyumva, both convicted for their roles in the genocide. Ibuka warned that these precedents \u201chighlight the place granted to the executioners in the public space and aggravate the attacks on the memory of the genocide against the Tutsi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following Mayor Grouard\u2019s decree, Ibuka France issued a statement commending the decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis decision protects the memory of the victims and prevents the municipal cemetery from becoming a place of gathering, denial, or glorification of the Genocide against the Tutsi. France must no longer be a refuge for Rwandan ge\u0301nocidaires and their remains. Historical truth and the duty of justice demand it,\u201d the survivors association said.<\/p>\n

The CPCR also welcomed the move. \u201cWe can only applaud the courageous decision of the Mayor of Orle\u0301ans. This vigilance ensures that maneuvers to rehabilitate ge\u0301nocidaires do not go unnoticed,\u201d the organization said.<\/p>\n

In addition to the mayor\u2019s decree, Orle\u0301ans Bishop Monsignor Jacques Blaquart reportedly issued a ruling refusing to conduct Zigiranyirazo\u2019s funeral mass.<\/p>\n

Legal framework and next steps<\/p>\n

Mayor Grouard based his decision on the General Code of Local Authorities, invoking police powers to preserve public order and the dignity of burial sites. The decree clearly states that the earlier authorization had been issued \u201cwithout due regard for the deceased\u2019s past.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under French law, the decision may be appealed before the Orle\u0301ans Administrative Court within two months.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Rwanda<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. Serge Grouard, the Mayor of French city of Orle\u0301ans, has revoked authorization for the burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo, the former Prefect of Ruhengeri at the city\u2019s municipal cemetery, citing his links to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the 1985 murder of American zoologist Dian Fossey. The decision follows concerns raised […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":108581,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,14],"tags":[7882,758],"class_list":["post-108582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-protais-zigiranyirazo","tag-rwanda"],"yoast_head":"\nFrench Mayor Rejects Burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo - Rwanda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Serge Grouard, the Mayor of French city of Orle\u0301ans, has revoked authorization for the burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo, ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"French Mayor Rejects Burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Serge Grouard, the Mayor of French city of Orle\u0301ans, has revoked authorization for the burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo, ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rwanda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-29T17:16:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-29T17:50:06+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2025\/08\/sm_1756476586.951747.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"666\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"French Mayor Rejects Burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-29T17:16:17+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-08-29T17:50:06+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo\"},\"wordCount\":658,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2025\/08\/sm_1756476586.951747.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Protais Zigiranyirazo\",\"Rwanda\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"Policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/french-mayor-rejects-burial-of-protais-zigiranyirazo\",\"name\":\"French Mayor Rejects Burial of Protais Zigiranyirazo - 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