London Doctor Charged in Rwanda Genocide

British authorities have charged a doctor residing in London with crimes stemming from the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the Crown Prosecution Service announced Monday. The arrest and charges against Dr. Vincent Brown, formerly known as Vincent Bajinya, mark the first time an individual has been prosecuted in the United Kingdom for participation in the ethnic conflict that claimed an estimated 800,000 lives.

Brown, 65, faces one count of conduct ancillary to genocide and six counts of conduct ancillary to murder as a crime against humanity. U.K. law permits its prosecutors to bring charges for certain international offenses, including genocide and crimes against humanity, irrespective of where the acts occurred. Prosecutors allege that Dr. Brown was involved in directing and inciting others to commit acts of murder and genocide.

The Metropolitan Police war crimes unit initiated an investigation into the case in 2019 at the request of the Rwandan government. While originally from Kigali, Brown has lived in London, where he previously worked for a charity that assisted refugee nurses and midwives in their efforts to practice in Britain. He is believed to have entered the U.K. as an asylum seeker in 1998. Brown obtained British citizenship in 2004, at which time he changed his name. He is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Authorities stated that investigations into several other Rwandan genocide suspects residing in Britain are ongoing. Cmdr. Helen Flanagan, head of counterterror policing, affirmed that "this case demonstrates the U.K. is not a safe haven for individuals suspected of committing international crimes."