From Reuters:
“Rwandan court finds 'Hotel
Rwanda' film hero guilty in terrorism case”
A Rwandan court on Monday
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 ... is convicted of being a member of a
terror group and participating in terror activities but he is acquitted of
creating an illegal armed group," judge Antoine Muhima said.
Prosecutors had sought a life
sentence for Rusesabagina on nine charges, including terrorism, arson, taking
hostages and forming an armed rebel group. He was convicted of eight charges. Rusesabagina
has acknowledged having a leadership role in the Rwanda Movement for Democratic
Change (MRCD), a group opposed to Kagame's rule, but denied responsibility for
violence carried out by its armed wing, the National Liberation Front (FLN). Twenty
other defendants tried with him included Callixte Nsabimana, popularly known as
Sankara, a spokesman for the FLN. He told the court Rusesabagina was not a
member of the armed wing. But judges said the two groups were
indistinguishable, referring to them as the MRCD-FLN. Nsabimana received 20
years.
HOLLYWOOD HERO Rusesabagina
refused to take part in the trial and has not appeared in court after attending
the first few hearings in a bright pink prison uniform, face mask and
handcuffs. The 2004 film depicted him risking his life to shelter
hundreds of people as manager of a luxury hotel in the Rwandan capital Kigali
during the 100-day genocide, when Hutu ethnic extremists killed more than 800,000
Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Cheadle was nominated for an Oscar and
Rusesabagina received the Medal of Freedom - the highest civilian award - from
U.S. President George W. Bush in 2005. Some genocide survivors accused
Rusesabagina of using their suffering to make himself look heroic. "He
dramatized his deeds in a film and won awards he did not deserve," Naphtal
Ahishakiye, the executive secretary of genocide survivor organization Ibuka,
told Reuters by phone. Rusesabagina's family have previously dismissed
such comments as a smear campaign.
POLITICAL CRITIC Rusesabagina
used his fame to highlight what he described as rights violations by the
government of Kagame, a Tutsi rebel commander who took power after his forces
captured Kigali and halted the genocide. Rusesabagina’s father was Hutu and his
mother and wife were Tutsi. He became a Belgian citizen after the genocide and
lived in exile in the United States until last year. In a video posted
on YouTube in 2018, Rusesabagina called for armed resistance, saying change
could not be achieved by democratic means. The year before, Kagame had won re-election
with 99% of the vote. Rusesabagina's trial began in February, six months
after he arrived in Kigali on a flight from Dubai. His supporters say he was
kidnapped; the Rwandan government suggested he was tricked into boarding a
private plane. Human Rights Watch said his arrest amounted to an enforced
disappearance, which it called a serious violation of international law. Kagame
denies accusations of abuse and has enjoyed support from Western donors for
restoring stability and boosting economic growth. Rights groups describe the
Rusesabagina case as part of a pattern of intimidating Kagame's political
opponents. "The ruling Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) continued to target
those perceived as a threat," said a report last year by Human Rights
Watch, which also detailed arbitrary detention, ill-treatment and torture.
REACTION TO VERDICT Carine
Kanimba, Rusesabagina's daughter, said the family knew what the verdict would
be. "He was denied access to his lawyers, international legal team,
even his Rwandan lawyers, he has limited access to them and then he was held in
solitary confinement for 250 days," she said. Rusesabagina's
Rwandan lawyer said they would meet him to find out if he wished to appeal. He
accused Rwandan authorities of intercepting legal documents and denying him
access to an international team. Both Belgium and the United States
criticised the trial. "Mr Rusesabagina did not receive a fair and
equitable trial, particularly with regard to the rights of the defence,"
Belgian Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes said in a statement. U.S. State
Department spokesman Ned Price said "the reported lack of fair trial guarantees
calls into question the fairness of the verdict." Faustin Nkusi,
spokesman for the Rwandan prosecution, insisted the trial was fair, Rwanda was
experienced in holding high profile trials and that defendants had plenty of
time to prepare.
^ This is sad on many levels. ^
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