A 25-year prison term was handed down to Paul Rusesabagina, a former hotel manager. He was hailed as a hero in a Hollywood film about the 1994 genocide. However, Rwandan prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they would file an appeal against the decision.
Rusesabagina, 67, was a strong opponent of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and the prosecutors wanted a life sentence for him. On September 20, a Rwandan court convicted him guilty of terrorist charges following a trial that his supporters characterized as a fraud and evidence of Kagame’s harsh treatment of political rivals. Click here to find out more.
The Prosecutor General’s office did not explain why it was filing the appeal in a statement shared on Twitter. In addition, neither the Rwandan Prosecutor General’s office nor the Rwandan government responded to comments on the topic when sought for comment.
Asked by Reuters about the tweet, Rusesabagina’s daughter, Carine Kanimba, claimed the gesture demonstrated that the prosecution of her father was motivated by political considerations.
According to her, “Kagame’s decision to appeal is a decision to injure us much more than he already has,” she wrote in a Whatsapp message.
Also cited by Kanimba was a statement from Rusesabagina’s legal team, which she claimed declared, “25 years is already a life sentence in and of itself. The Prosecution is only demonstrating how politicized this trial has always been and will continue to be by appealing and asking for more “…..
Rusesabagina was charged with nine counts, including terrorism, arson, hostage-taking, and the formation of an armed rebel group, and prosecutors requested a life sentence for her. He was found guilty of eight allegations against him.
The Rwanda Movement for Democratic Change (MRCD), a group opposed to President Paul Kagame’s administration, has acknowledged that he played a leadership role. Still, he has denied responsibility for atrocities carried out by the group’s military component, the National Liberation Front (FLN).
He rose to international prominence after the 2004 film “Hotel Rwanda” depicted him risking his life to shelter hundreds of people while serving as the boss of a luxury hotel in the Rwandan capital during the 100-day genocide, during which Hutu ethnic extremists killed more than 800,000 people, mostly members of the Tutsi minority. Rusesabagina was born in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, and raised in the United States.
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