In Rwanda, where ethnic tension between Hutus and Tutsis is still raw, the verdict was received coolly. When the sentence was announced during a meeting in the capital, lawmakers remained silent. At times, the government has clashed with the tribunal over who should try suspects.
But some genocide survivors expressed satisfaction. "This justice is going to help the victims of the genocide recover their dignity," said Didacienne Mukahabeshimana, a Rwandan human-rights activist who is half-Hutu and half-Tutsi.
As the verdict was read in the tribunal's courtroom in Arusha, Tanzania, television pictures showed Bagosora sitting quietly, separated from a public gallery by bulletproof glass and listening to translation through earphones. He showed no emotion as the sentence was rendered but afterward smiled and posed for photos with his attorneys.
