1042. The Appeals Chamber notes that, under Rule 87(C) of the Rules, “if the Trial Chamber finds the accused guilty on one or more of the counts contained in the indictment, it shall also determine the penalty to be imposed in respect of each of the counts”. However, the Appeals Chamber has held that Trial Chambers may impose a single sentence in respect of multiple convictions in the following circumstances:

Where the crimes ascribed to an accused, regardless of their characterisation, form part of a single set of crimes committed in a given geographic region during a specific time period, it is appropriate for a single sentence to be imposed for all convictions, if the Trial Chamber so decides. [1]

1043. The Appeals Chamber has further held that, when the acts of the accused are linked to the systematic and widespread attack which occurred in 1994 in Rwanda against the Tutsi, this requirement is fulfilled and a single sentence for multiple convictions can be imposed.[2] The Appeals Chamber reaffirms the position stated in the Kambanda Appeal Judgement. In the present case, since the acts of the Appellants were all linked to the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994, the Trial Chamber could impose a single sentence. The Appellants’ appeals on this point are therefore rejected.