Paul Rusesabagina.Photo: NICOLAS MAETERLINCK/AFP via Getty
Later this month, the life of Paul Rusesabagina — the hotel manager whose heroics during the 1994 Rwandan genocide inspired the Oscar-nominatedHotel Rwanda— could change forever.
The “genocide hero” has been a fervent opponent and critic of Rwanda President Paul Kagame since his regime assumed power in 2000, and just over a year ago, Rusesabagina was arrested on terrorism charges along with 19 others.
The 67-year-old activist and his co-defendants are further charged with murder, arson, financing and founding armed groups, and conspiracy to involve children in armed groups. He is facing a possible life sentence.
The arrest of Rusesabagina — who famously saved the lives of more than 1,200 Hutu and Tutsi refugees, sheltering them inside the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali during the three-month massacre that killed more than 800,000 — has led to international condemnation against Kagame, with New York-based Human Rights Watch denouncing it as an “enforced disappearance, a serious violation of international law.”
In February, just before the start of Rusesabagina’s trial, the European Unionadopted a resolutioncondemning the arrest and characterizing it as “politically motivated.”
The resolution also called for an investigation that provides full accounting of how Rusesabagina — who was living in Texas at the time of his arrest — ended up in Rwandan custody.
“Rusesabagina was forcibly transferred from Dubai to Kigali in uncertain circumstances and only reappeared … at the headquarters of the Rwandan Investigation Bureau,” reads the resolution. “Rusesabagina was arrested at Kigali International Airport, contradicting an earlier police account which stated that he was arrested through ‘international cooperation.'”
The resolution also noted that the Rwandan government “has arrested, detained and prosecuted critics and government opponents in politically motivated trials” and “repeatedly threatened others outside the country, with some having been physically attacked and even killed.”
Kagame has raised the ire of numerous human rights groups over the years; all accuse him of suppressing the freedoms of Rwandan citizens, and using illegal tactics to eliminate his political rivals.
Speaking toThe New York Timesafter his arrest, Rusesabagina — who fledRwandain 1996 after a failed assassination attempt — said that in Dubai, he boarded a private plane that he was told was bound for Burundi, where he was to deliver a speech at the invitation of a Christian pastor.
Instead, it landed in Kigali.
Al Jazeerareported in Februarythat Johnston Busingye, Rwanda’s then–minister of justice, admitted that the government paid for the private jet that delivered Rusesabagina to Rwandan authorities.
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Relatives have said Rusesabagina, a cancer survivor, is in poor health and being mistreated while in custody. They further believe the allegations against him are pure fiction.
“What they’re accusing him of is all made up,” his adopted daughter, Carine Kanimba,toldThe Guardianlast year. “There is no evidence to what they’re claiming … We know this is a wrongful arrest.”
Rusesabagina refused to attend the majority of his trial, alleging that his right to a fair trial has been violated.
source: people.com
