Immunity ratione materiae of foreign state officials before Rwandan courts

Abstract

The article seeks to determine when, as a matter of international law, foreign state officials should be granted immunity ratione materiae when they are sued in civil and criminal proceedings in Rwanda. It also investigates the questions as to whether this immunity can be waived by the state on behalf of which the official performed the impugned act, whether this immunity should also apply when a foreign state official is on Rwandan territory on holidays or private visit and, finally, which officials deserve to be accorded this immunity.

Keywords: Immunity, ratione materiae, functional immunity, Rwandan courts