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Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina’s release and apology – a master stroke by Kagame

Rwanda: Paul Rusesabagina’s release and apology – a master stroke by Kagame

RWANDA’S ministry of justice recently announced the pardon and release of Paul Rusesabagina from jail. Rusesabagina was involved in events portrayed in the 2004 Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda. In September 2021, Rusesabagina was sentenced to 25 years in jail over his ties to groups opposed to Rwandan president Paul Kagame. His release followed intense diplomatic talks between Washington and Kigali and was negotiated by Qatar. Author JONATHAN BELOFF, Postdoctoral Research Associate, King's College London While Rusesabagina’s release may be celebrated by his supporters in the west, it’s a bit more complicated within and for Rwanda. His pardon needs to be…
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Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero returns to United States after prison stay

Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero returns to United States after prison stay

IMAD CREIDI THE man who inspired the film "Hotel Rwanda", Paul Rusesabagina, arrived in the United States after being released from prison in Rwanda last week, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident who has lived in exile in San Antonio, Texas, for over a decade, was sentenced in September 2021 to 25 years over his ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame that has an armed wing. The 68-year-old, a vocal critic of Kagame, says he was lured to Rwanda in 2019 when he boarded a private plane in Dubai…
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Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero departs Doha for Houston for family reunion

Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero departs Doha for Houston for family reunion

IMAD CREIDI THE man who inspired the film "Hotel Rwanda", Paul Rusesabagina, has boarded a plane in Qatar bound for Houston after being released from prison in Rwanda last week, a source familiar with the matter said. Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident who has lived in exile in San Antonio, Texas, for over a decade, was sentenced in September 2021 to 25 years over his ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame that has an armed wing. The 68-year-old, a vocal critic of Kagame, says he was lured to Rwanda in 2019 when he boarded a private…
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Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero Rusesabagina leaves Kigali, reaches Qatar

Freed ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero Rusesabagina leaves Kigali, reaches Qatar

IMAD CREIDI and PHILBERT GIRINEMA PAUL Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the film "Hotel Rwanda" about the 1994 genocide, has arrived in Qatar after being released from prison in Rwanda last week, Rwanda's government spokesperson said. Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident, was sentenced in September 2021 to 25 years over his ties to a group opposed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame that has an armed wing. He was released on Friday after his sentence was commuted following months of negotiations between Washington and Kigali. Washington's historically close ties with Rwanda have been strained by Rusesabagina's detention and by U.S.…
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Why Rwanda freed “Hotel Rwanda” hero

Why Rwanda freed “Hotel Rwanda” hero

THE release of Paul Rusesabagina from a Rwandan prison was the result of months of negotiations between Washington and Kigali, with both eager to draw a line under what they described as an "irritant" to their relationship. Two U.S. officials - one from President Joe Biden's administration and a Congressional aide - said no concrete concessions were made to secure the release of Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident made famous by the 2004 film 'Hotel Rwanda,' about his role in saving Tutsis during the 1994 genocide. He was detained in 2019 and subsequently convicted on eight terrorism charges stemming from his leadership…
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Kagame looking at ‘resolving’ detention of ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero Rusesabagina

Kagame looking at ‘resolving’ detention of ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero Rusesabagina

RWANDAN President Paul Kagame said there were discussions about "resolving" the fate of Paul Rusesabagina, who was portrayed as a hero in the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda" and is serving a 25-year sentence in Rwanda on terrorism charges. Rusesabagina was sentenced in September 2021 over his ties to an organization opposed to Kagame's rule. He denied all the charges and refused to take part in the trial that he and his supporters called a political sham. Washington has designated him as "wrongly detained", partly because of what it called the lack of fair trial guarantees. Rusesabagina has U.S. permanent residency…
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Hotel Rwanda: a film that proved to be a double-edged sword for Kigali

Hotel Rwanda: a film that proved to be a double-edged sword for Kigali

PAUL Rusesabagina is perhaps one of the world’s best known Rwandans. His actions during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi were made famous in the 2004 Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda. The film was inspired by what happened inside Hotel des Mille Collines in the capital, Kigali. Here, 1,268 Rwandans, both Tutsis and Hutus, were saved from genocidal forces waiting beyond its walls. Author JONATHAN BELOFF, Postdoctoral Research Associate, King's College London The film depicts Rusesabagina – who left Rwanda in 1996 – as a hero who saved these lives. Following the film’s release, Rusesabagina received several humanitarian awards, including the…
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Rwandan court upholds ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero’s 25-year sentence

Rwandan court upholds ‘Hotel Rwanda’ hero’s 25-year sentence

CLEMENT UWIRINGIYIMANA A Rwandan appeals court upheld a 25-year jail sentence for Paul Rusesabagina, who was portrayed in the movie "Hotel Rwanda" sheltering hundreds of people during the 1994 genocide, rejecting a bid to extend it to life in prison. Rusesabagina, 67, was convicted in September on eight terrorism charges related to the activities of an organisation opposed to President Paul Kagame's rule, and is being held in a Rwandan prison. He has denied all the charges and refused to take part in the trial, which he and his supporters have denounced as a politically motivated sham. He was not…
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‘Hotel Rwanda’ film hero jailed for 25 years

‘Hotel Rwanda’ film hero jailed for 25 years

CLEMENT UWIRIGIYIMANA A Rwandan court has sentenced Paul Rusesabagina, a one-time hotel manager portrayed as a hero in a Hollywood film about the 1994 genocide, to 25 years in prison after he was convicted of terrorism charges. Rusesabagina, 67, who was feted around the world after being portrayed by actor Don Cheadle in the film "Hotel Rwanda", is a vocal critic of President Paul Kagame. He denied all charges and said he was kidnapped from Dubai this year to be put on trial. His supporters called the trial a sham, and proof of Kagame's ruthless treatment of political opponents. "Rusesabagina…
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Rwandan justice minister fired

Rwandan justice minister fired

RWANDA’S President Paul Kagame has removed the justice minister but made him ambassador to Britain amid international scrutiny over the trial of Paul Rusesabagina, the hotelier credited with saving many lives during the 1994 genocide. A government statement gave no reason for the dismissal of Johnston Busingye, who had served as justice minister and attorney general since 2013. Busingye was appointed Rwanda's ambassador to Britain, the statement said. Kagame did not immediately name a new justice minister. Requests for comment to government spokespeople and the presidency office were not answered. Rusesabagina was hailed as hero after he used his connections…
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