The inspiration for “Hotel Rwanda” has been pardoned
Paul Rusesabagina who inspired the Hollywood film “Hotel Rwanda,†was released from prison in Rwanda after his 25-year sentence was commuted Friday by the country’s President Paul Kagame.
He was arrested by Rwandan authorities while he was traveling internationally in 2020 along with 20 others. All were charged with acts of terrorism. Rusesabagia was sentenced that same year and spent 900 days in prison where he was beaten, blinded, and tortured.
U.S. senior administration officials told reporters Friday that Rusesabagina, who is a U.S. legal permanent resident, had been transferred to the residence of the Qatari ambassador in Kigali, the country’s capital.
“He will be spending a limited period of time hosted by the Qataris, likely a couple of days,” one official said. He will then travel to Doha and then on to the United States, where he lives in Texas.
Rusesabagina, 68, an outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame, is best known for saving 800 to 1,000 Tutsis who sought refuge at Hotel des Mille Collines, managed by Rusesabagina in Kilgal during the 1994 genocide.
He rose to fame when Hollywood released the film, where he was played by actor Don Cheadle. On November 9, 2005, George W. Bush awarded Rusesabagina the Presidential Medal of Freedom.