16 Dec 11 - Survivors of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda have responded with incredulity to the decision by the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), in Arusha, Tanzania, to reduce the sentences of several ringleaders of the genocide this week.

Theoneste Bagosora, former head of the Ministry of Defence and Anatole Nsengiyumva, former army commander in Gisenyi, both sentenced to life imprisonment for genocide and crimes against humanity, saw their sentences reduced to 35 years and 15 years respectively after the Appeals Chamber overturned some, but not all, of their convictions for these crimes. For Nsengiyumva, arrested in 1996, this meant instant freedom. Dominique Ntawukulilyayo, 69, former sub prefect of Gisagara in Butare, also had his sentence cut from 25 to 20 years, though the original decision that he substantially aided the killing of thousands of civilians at Kabuye Hill was upheld.