Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Sunday denied that his government had kidnapped from abroad Paul Rusesabagina, whose widely acclaimed heroism during the 1994 genocide inspired a Hollywood movie, but who has been detained on terrorism and other charges.
At a virtual news conference in the capital, Kigali, Kagame did not say exactly how Rusesabagina had been taken into custody, but suggested he had been tricked into traveling to Rwanda before he was arrested.
“It was not the case,” Kagame said, referring to accusations of kidnapping. “There was no kidnap. There was not any wrongdoing in the process of his getting here. He got here on the basis of what he believed and wanted to do, and he found himself here ... that’s how it happened.”
Photo: Reuters
Kigali on Monday last week announced Rusasebagina’s detention, parading him before the press in handcuffs.
The Rwanda Investigation Bureau has said Rusesabagina would face charges including terrorism, financing terrorism, arson, kidnapping and murder.
The government has accused Rusesabagina of having a hand in alleged attacks by National Liberation Front rebels in southern Rwanda in 2018.
A former hotel manager during the genocide, Rusesabagina used his job and his connections with the ethnic Hutu elite to protect Tutsis fleeing the slaughter.
His heroism inspired the Oscar-nominated film Hotel Rwanda.
Rusesabagina left Rwanda shortly after the genocide and later acquired Belgian citizenship. He has been living in Texas.
His relatives have accused the Rwandan government of kidnapping him and a daughter has said Rusesabagina last called them while in Dubai, days before Kigali announced his detention.
Rusesabagina has been a strong critic of Kagame’s government.
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