[JURIST] French police on Wednesday arrested alleged war criminal Sosthene Munyemana in Bordeaux, acting on a Rwandan extradition warrant. Munyemana, a Rwandan doctor who has worked in a French hospital for eight years, is accused of war crimes [AFP report] related to the 1994 Rwandan genocide [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. He was later released on bail [BBC report] while awaiting a court date. France denied Munyemana's request for asylum in 2008, citing concerns about his role in the genocide.

Earlier this month, French officials announced [JURIST report] plans to create a special judicial service to investigate and charge individuals accused of crimes against humanity and genocide in France or in other countries. The new unit would streamline the prosecutions of Rwandans living in France who are accused of war crimes during the 1994 genocide. Diplomatic relations between France and Rwanda were restored [AFP report] in November. The countries had cut ties in 2006 after French judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere [BBC backgrounder] issued arrest warrants for several top Rwandan officials believed to have participated in the attack on former president Juvenal Habyarimana's plane.