Paul Rusesabagina, the “Hotel Rwanda” hero who became a fiercely outspoken government critic, was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison on terrorism charges after what his supporters labelled a politically motivated show trial.
He was convicted by a high court in Kigali of forming a rebel group blamed for deadly gun, grenade and arson attacks in Rwanda in 2018 and 2019.
“He founded a terrorist organisation that attacked Rwanda, he financially contributed to terrorist activities,” Justice Beatrice Mukamurenzi said at the end of a seven-month trial.
Rwandan prosecutors had sought a life sentence for Rusesabagina, the 67-year-old former hotelier credited with saving over 1,200 lives during the country’s 1994 genocide, and whose actions inspired the Hollywood film. But Mukamurenzi said the term “should be reduced to 25 years” as it was his first conviction.
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Data source: wsj.com