French-Cameroonian author Charles Onana has been found guilty of downplaying the Rwandan genocide by a Paris court.
He was fined €8,400 ($8,900; £7,000) and his publishing director, Damien Serieyx, was ordered to pay €5,000.
Additionally, both Onana and Serieyx must pay €11,000 in compensation to human rights organizations that filed the suit.
The court’s ruling stated that Onana’s writings violated France’s laws prohibiting genocide denial and incitement to hatred.
France’s willingness to prosecute such cases marks a significant shift, as the country will “no longer be a haven for denialists”.
The case stems from Onana’s 2019 book, “Rwanda, la vérité sur l’opération Turquoise” (“Rwanda, the Truth About Operation Turquoise”), which described the Hutu government’s alleged genocide plan as “one of the biggest scams” of the last century. Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe welcomed the conviction, calling it a “landmark decision”.
This ruling sets a precedent for holding individuals accountable for denying or downplaying genocide, promoting a more responsible and respectful discussion of historical events.
