Real-life Hotel Rwanda hero freed after 18 months in jail

RWANDA’S president yesterday agreed to release the real-life hero whose actions prompted the making of Hotel Rwanda, the 2004 Hollywood blockbuster.

Paul Rusesabagina, a human rights activist and outspoken critic of Paul Kagame, the president, was jailed for 25 years in September 2021 on terrorism charges he had denied. His trial was denounced as a sham by his supporters and his detention caused tensions with the US. Mr Rusesabagina’s family had accused prison authorities of torturing the 68-year-old and warned that his poor health could lead to his death.

He became famous after his role in saving 1,200 lives when manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali during the 1994 Rwandan genocide was featured in the Oscar-nominated movie, which starred Don Cheadle.

His release, along with that of 19 co-defendants in the case, was facilitated by the US after mediation by Qatar. Talks about his release began late last year, said Yolande Makolo, a spokesman for Rwanda’s government. But, she added: “There is consensus that serious crimes were committed, for which they were convicted.”

Mr Rusesabagina, a Belgian citizen who holds a US green card, is expected to be released on Saturday when it is believed he will fly to Doha and on to the US.

He has promised to stay out of Rwandan politics once free and in October wrote in a letter seeking the pardon that was confirmed yesterday by officials: “I will spend the remainder of my days in the United States in quiet reflection.”

Experts said Mr Kagame’s move was an attempt by him to appear “reasonable” after he had publicly humiliated his critic on “trumped-up charges”.