‘CHARADE OF THE TRIAL’

Hero of Oscar-Winner ‘Hotel Rwanda’ Convicted of Terrorism

Rusesabagina’s family said he was denied a fair trial and was kidnapped from exile to face the charges.

In the 2004 Oscar-winning blockbuster Hotel Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina was portrayed by Don Cheadle as the heroic hotel manager who saved over 1,000 from the Rwandan genocide. Since his story became known across the world, Rusesabagina has become more and more critical of the Rwandan government—and, on Monday, the state convicted him of terrorism offenses. According to BBC News, Rusesabagina, 67, and 20 other defendants were found guilty of supporting a rebel group that allegedly killed nine people in 2018. Rusesabagina’s family said he was denied a fair trial and was kidnapped from exile to face the charges. “We are happy that the charade of the trial is ending,” the Rusesabagina family told ABC News ahead of the verdict. “There is no independent judiciary, and there will be no justice for our father. All we can do now is make this clear to everyone—a dictator will be jailing a humanitarian.”