A Rwandan court has sentenced Paul Rusesabagina, hero of ‘Hotel Rwanda,’ a Hollywood film, to 25 years in prison.
According to Aljazeera, the law court in the capital of Kigali, on Monday, convicted Rusesabagina of terrorism.
‘Hotel Rwanda’ is a 2004 film adapted from the life of Rusesabagina, who is a politician and one-time hotelier.
It is based on the Rwandan genocide, which occurred during the spring of 1994, and portrayed Rusesabagina as a hotel manager who saved 1,000 refugees by providing them with shelter in the besieged Hôtel des Mille Collines.
The movie and Rusesabagina’s role during the genocide has long been a subject of debate, particularly in Rwanda.
After being portrayed in the 2004 film, Rusesabagina emerged as a critic of Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s rule.
The politician, who was initially hailed for his acts during the genocide, went from celebrated figure to state enemy.
In August 2020, he was arrested and tried for charges of terrorism, arson, kidnapping, and murder of Rwandans.
The politician was found guilty of backing a rebel group in a series of attacks that killed nine civilians back in 2018.
He was also convicted of forming an illegal armed group, membership in a terrorist group, and financing terrorism.
The 67-year-old had earlier denied all charges, stating that he was abducted from Dubai this year to be put on trial.
His supporters had similarly called the trial a “sham,” accusing Kagame of treating his political opponents ruthlessly.
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