By Clement Uwiringiyimana, KIGALI Rwanda
Paul Rusesabagina has faced down murderous militias and been feted in Hollywood. On Wednesday, the former hotelier, depicted as a hero in a movie about Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, will defend himself against charges of terrorism in a Kigali courtroom.
His
family say Rusesabagina, a harsh critic of President Paul Kagame, is in poor
health and his trial is a sham. Rwanda’s government says he has fomented
violence and directed deadly attacks on its territory from exile.
“We don’t
expect a fair trial,” his daughter Carine Kanimba, told Reuters on Tuesday.
“This hearing will be a theatre.”
The trial
has thrust a spotlight not just on Rusesabagina, but on Kagame, whom rights
groups accuse of using authoritarian means to quash political opposition and
extend his 21-year presidency. Several high profile political dissidents have
been murdered abroad; the government has denied any involvement.
Kagame
denies any accusations of abuses and has enjoyed widespread support from
Western donors for restoring Rwanda to stability, cracking down on corruption
and boosting economic growth in the East African nation of 12 million.
Arrested
in August, Rusesabagina faces 13 charges, including terrorism and forming an
armed rebel group.
His
daughter said that the charges against her father were fabricated and that he
was denied his choice of defence lawyers. His defence team was appointed by the
government of Rwanda, which has said he is free to change them. He also has one
Rwandan lawyer appointed by the family, although international lawyers have not
been allowed to join his team.
Judiciary
spokesman Harrison Mutabazi said Rusesabagina was being tried like any other
citizen.
“We give
justice with due process,” he told Reuters on Tuesday.
Rusesabagina’s
case has attracted international attention partly because the Oscar-nominated
2004 film “Hotel Rwanda”, was based on his life.
The movie
shows how Rusesabagina, played by Don Cheadle, used his connections as a hotel
manager to save ethnic Tutsis fleeing slaughter by Hutus.
An
estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed during the genocide.
Rusesabagina’s father was Hutu; his mother and wife were Tutsi.
Rusesabagina
later obtained Belgian citizenship and became a U.S. resident. He received the
Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honour, in 2005.
He became
a vocal critic of Kagame and called for armed resistance to the government in a
YouTube video in December 2018, saying that democratic change was impossible.
The year before, Kagame won a national election with 99% of the vote.
During
pre-trial hearings, Rusesabagina told judges he was kidnapped from Dubai.
Rwandan officials have suggested he was tricked into boarding the plane.
In a
September pre-trial hearing, Rusesabagina told the court that he had contributed
20,000 euros ($24,000.00) to the National Liberation Front (FLN), the military
wing of the Movement for Democratic Change, a political party which he
co-chaired from exile. But he denied any wrongdoing.
Rusesabagina
will be tried alongside 20 other Rwandans whom prosecutors describe as fighters
for the FLN. Most were captured after attacks in Rwanda’s southern province in
2018, said judiciary spokesman Mutabazi.
The
European Parliament last week called on Rwanda to give Rusesabagina a fair
trial and condemned what it called his enforced disappearance, illegal
rendition to Rwanda and incommunicado detention.
The
resolution prompted a response from Rwanda’s parliament late on Tuesday.
“The
Rwanda parliament rejects the European parliament’s baseless assertion that
Paul Rusesabagina will not receive a fair trial in Rwanda, and calls on the
government of Rwanda to continue to ensure this right is also fully upheld for
the victims,” legislators said.
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