Deogratias Bizimana, former medical assistant, and Egide Gatanazi, former local government administrator: On 3 January 1997 the High Court sentenced the above named to death after finding them guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity committed in 1994. It has been reported that the trials were grossly unfair. The impartiality and independence of many of the judicial officials is questionable, following statements by some judicial and government officials that defendants should not request legal counsel.