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| Hotel Rwanda’s Paul Rusesabagina to be released from prison | Hotel Rwanda’s Paul Rusesabagina to be released from prison |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ex-hotelier whose actions saved lives during 1994 genocide has sentence for terrorism charges commuted | Ex-hotelier whose actions saved lives during 1994 genocide has sentence for terrorism charges commuted |
| Paul Rusesabagina, a businessman whose role in saving more than 1,000 lives during the 1994 Rwandan genocide inspired the film Hotel Rwanda, is to be released from prison on Saturday after his 25-year sentence on terrorism charges was commuted. | Paul Rusesabagina, a businessman whose role in saving more than 1,000 lives during the 1994 Rwandan genocide inspired the film Hotel Rwanda, is to be released from prison on Saturday after his 25-year sentence on terrorism charges was commuted. |
| The announcement by the Rwandan government follows intense diplomacy by the US, where Rusesabagina has permanent residency rights. Historically close ties between the two countries have been strained over the case, and Rwanda’s alleged meddling in the Democratic Republic of Congo. | The announcement by the Rwandan government follows intense diplomacy by the US, where Rusesabagina has permanent residency rights. Historically close ties between the two countries have been strained over the case, and Rwanda’s alleged meddling in the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
| “This is the result of a shared desire to reset US-Rwanda relationship,” Stephanie Nyombayire, a spokesperson for Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame, wrote on Twitter. | “This is the result of a shared desire to reset US-Rwanda relationship,” Stephanie Nyombayire, a spokesperson for Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame, wrote on Twitter. |
| Rusesabagina was sentenced in September 2021 over his ties to an organisation opposed to President Paul Kagame’s rule. He denied all the charges and refused to take part in the trial that he and his supporters called a political sham. | Rusesabagina was sentenced in September 2021 over his ties to an organisation opposed to President Paul Kagame’s rule. He denied all the charges and refused to take part in the trial that he and his supporters called a political sham. |
| Washington designated him as “wrongly detained”, partly because of what it called the lack of fair trial guarantees. | Washington designated him as “wrongly detained”, partly because of what it called the lack of fair trial guarantees. |
| The former hotelier’s release may help to ease tensions with the US, which has repeatedly called on Rwanda to cease its support of the M23 armed group and to withdraw its troops from neighbouring Congo. Rwanda denies any involvement in Congo. | The former hotelier’s release may help to ease tensions with the US, which has repeatedly called on Rwanda to cease its support of the M23 armed group and to withdraw its troops from neighbouring Congo. Rwanda denies any involvement in Congo. |
| “I commend US and Rwandan officials for working together on Mr. Rusesabagina’s release and addressing the issues surrounding his case, including those related to justice and political violence,” Jim Risch, ranking member of the US Senate foreign relations committee, said in a statement. | |
| Rusesabagina is expected to be released on Saturday alongside 19 others, whose sentences were also commuted by presidential order after requests for clemency, said Rwanda’s government spokesperson Yolande Makolo. | Rusesabagina is expected to be released on Saturday alongside 19 others, whose sentences were also commuted by presidential order after requests for clemency, said Rwanda’s government spokesperson Yolande Makolo. |
| “Under Rwandan law, commutation of sentence does not extinguish the underlying conviction,” Makolo said. “Rwanda notes the constructive role of the US government in creating conditions for dialogue on this issue, as well as the facilitation provided by the state of Qatar.” | “Under Rwandan law, commutation of sentence does not extinguish the underlying conviction,” Makolo said. “Rwanda notes the constructive role of the US government in creating conditions for dialogue on this issue, as well as the facilitation provided by the state of Qatar.” |
| Rusesabagina will be flown initially to Doha, where his family may join him, and then on to the US, the online media platform Semaphor reported. | Rusesabagina will be flown initially to Doha, where his family may join him, and then on to the US, the online media platform Semaphor reported. |
| “If any individual benefiting from early release repeats offences of a similar nature, the commutation can be revoked and the remainder of the prison sentence will be served,” Rwanda’s justice ministry said in a statement. | “If any individual benefiting from early release repeats offences of a similar nature, the commutation can be revoked and the remainder of the prison sentence will be served,” Rwanda’s justice ministry said in a statement. |
| Rusesabagina, a vocal critic of Kagame, acknowledged having a leadership role in an opposition group, the Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD), but denied responsibility for attacks carried out on Rwanda by its armed wing, the Forces for National Liberation (FLN). | Rusesabagina, a vocal critic of Kagame, acknowledged having a leadership role in an opposition group, the Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD), but denied responsibility for attacks carried out on Rwanda by its armed wing, the Forces for National Liberation (FLN). |
| The trial judges said the two wings of the group were indistinguishable. | The trial judges said the two wings of the group were indistinguishable. |
| “I regret not taking more care to ensure that members of the MRCD coalition fully adhered to the principles of non violence,” Rusesabagina wrote in a 14 October letter to Kagame, which was released by the justice ministry. “If I am granted a pardon and released, I understand fully that I will spend the remainder of my days in the United States in quiet reflection.” | “I regret not taking more care to ensure that members of the MRCD coalition fully adhered to the principles of non violence,” Rusesabagina wrote in a 14 October letter to Kagame, which was released by the justice ministry. “If I am granted a pardon and released, I understand fully that I will spend the remainder of my days in the United States in quiet reflection.” |
| Callixte Nsabimana, known by his alias Sankara, an FLN spokesperson who was convicted by a Rwandan court of terrorism, murder and hostage-taking in 2019, will be among those who will be released, the spokesperson said. | Callixte Nsabimana, known by his alias Sankara, an FLN spokesperson who was convicted by a Rwandan court of terrorism, murder and hostage-taking in 2019, will be among those who will be released, the spokesperson said. |
| “I have expressed my apologies to all Rwandans, especially to the people who were affected by the attacks by the FLN fighters for whom I was the spokesperson,” Nsabimana said in a handwritten letter to Kagame released by the justice ministry. | “I have expressed my apologies to all Rwandans, especially to the people who were affected by the attacks by the FLN fighters for whom I was the spokesperson,” Nsabimana said in a handwritten letter to Kagame released by the justice ministry. |
| Earlier this month, Kagame said there were discussions about “resolving” the fate of Rusesabagina. | Earlier this month, Kagame said there were discussions about “resolving” the fate of Rusesabagina. |