Mr Murwanashyaka, 47, has lived in Germany for 20 years, having studied in the western city of Bonn The trial of two Rwandan Hutu leaders accused of masterminding atrocities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has started in Stuttgart in Germany.
Ignace Murwanashyaka, head of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and his deputy Straton Musoni, both live there.They face 26 counts of crimes against humanity and 39 of war crimes.
The trial comes under a new law which allows the prosecution of foreigners for crimes committed outside Germany.
They are accused of ordering militias to commit mass murder and rape between January 2008 and the date of their arrest in Germany in November 2009.
A third suspect, Callixte Mbarushimana, who had been living in France, has been extradited to face trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
'Fight against impunity' The United Nations has hailed the trial as a breakthrough after repeated calls by the UN Security Council to bring FDLR commanders living abroad to justice.
"This co-operative burden-sharing in prosecuting individuals for serious international crimes will greatly advance the fight against impunity," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in January. Continued
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