Paul Rusesabagina was kidnapped in Dubai while traveling to speak to church groups in Burundi. He was not extradited, the UAE and Belgium were not involved. He was forcibly disappeared and taken on a private charter to Rwanda. During those days, he was blindfolded, handcuffed, and had his legs tied. Paul’s team believed that he was tortured during these days. Based on pictures in the press and his behavior in subsequent appearances, they fear that the torture and other maltreatment has continued.

Rusesabagina was held in a jail in Kigali and deprived of any contact with his family for 10 days, except for media visits, which were all monitored heavily by Rwandan authorities.

Rwandan authorities force Rusesabagina to use government-appointed representation.

Urgent complaint filed to UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Read the complaint.

Read the statement.

Read the report.

The Clooney Foundation for Justice and and the American Bar Association pledge to monitor Paul’s trial. Read the pledge.

Despite chronic medical condititions, Rusesabagina is required to remain in detention and is disallowed from seeking adequate medical help.

“How The Hero Of Hotel Rwanda Fell Into A Vengeful Strongman’s Trap” is published in the New York Times, detailing the duress Rusesabagina has been placed under in participating in interviews. Read the article.

Rusesabagina’s family and legal team briefs the media and supporters on updates, joined by former congressman Patrick Kennedy.

The complaint details the illegal kidnapping of Rusesabagina and the unjust proceedings surrounding his trial, asking for his immediate release.

Paul is appealing the 30-day extension of his detention. He appeared before the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court today, virtually, to request an extension to be able to meet in person with his lawyer to discuss his case. This extension was granted until Friday 27 November, 9am.

Paul’s trial date has been set for January 26th. Once we reach trial, we anticipate legal costs to increase to above $10,000 per week. Moreover, Paul’s health continues to deteriorate and the need is greater than ever to get him out of jail soon. He suffers from hypertension, and in addition to rising blood pressure he has complained regularly in recent weeks of dizziness and headaches. Donations are urgently needed.

A fundraising concert, ‘Giving A Voice To The Voiceless’, is held to raise funds for Paul.

‘Diplomats, Family Push for Release of Detained ‘Hotel Rwanda’ Hero’ is published in TIME Magazine. Read the article here.

‘Rwanda’s disturbing arrest of the hero of Hotel Rwanda’ is published in the Los Angeles Times. Read the article here.

Read the report here.

The European Parliament passed a joint motion condemning the enforced disappearance, illegal rendition and incommunicado detention of Paul Rusesabagina. Read the motion here.

37 congress representatives write a letter to Rwandan President Paul Kagame, calling for the release of Rusesabagina and expressing concern with his extrajudicial detention. Read the letter here.

‘Paul Rusesabagina, a government critic living abroad, was mysteriously taken back to Rwanda late last year and arrested. His supporters say he has no chance of getting a fair trial’ is published in the New York Times. Read the article here.

Listen here.

Kagame effectively admits to kidnapping Paul Rusesabagina to bring him to Rwanda, echoing statements that he made shortly after Rusesabagina was arbitrarily detained. Watch the interview here.

Busingye is questioned about the circumstances surrounding government critic Paul Rusesabagina’s sudden appearance in Kigali, after years of living in exile. Watch the interview here.

‘Rwandan Official Admits Legal Violaitons in ‘Hotel Rwanda’ Case’ is published in the New York Times. Read the article here.

The organisation reports on the lack of attorney-client privilege and the extrajudicial detention of Rusesabagina. Read the report here.

‘Jailed hero of ‘Hotel Rwanda’ claims he was tortured at ‘slaughterhouse’ after arriving in Kigali’ is published by ABC News. Read the article here.

”Hotel Rwanda’ Dissident Denied Food and Medicine in Prison, Family Says’ is published in the New York Times. Read the article here.

The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice files a formal submission to the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Treasury recommending Global Magnitsky sanctions against Rwandan Justice Minister Johnston Busingye and head of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) Colonel Jeannot Ruhunga for their role in human rights violations committed against Rusesabagina, namely his extraordinary rendition and kidnapping in August 2020. Read the foundation’s announcement here.

‘From ‘Hotel Rwanda’ to ‘The Slaughter House’: The real-life hero of the 2004 film was hijacked and made a political prisoner’ is published in the Wall Street Journal. Read the article here.

Read the summary here. Read the full report here.

Sankara, the witness who was supposed to be so damaging against Rusesabagina, has now testified that Paul was not involved with the rebels, did not form the FLN, and did not command any FLN forces. Read the article ”Hotel Rwanda’ Hero Never Joined Rebels, Co-Accused Says’ published in U.S. News and Report here.

Paul Rusesabagina is found guilty. He is sentenced to 25 years in prison.

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee passes a bipartisan resolution calling on the government of Rwanda to release Paul Rusesabagina on humanitarian grounds. Read the bipartisan resolution here.

The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention finds that the Rwandan government abducted and has arbitrarily detained the Hotel Rwanda hero Paul Rusesabagina.  More information can be found here.

The Clooney Foundation for Justice’s TrialWatch Report states that the trial of Paul Rusesabagina “was seriously flawed” and “violated international and regional standards for fair trial procedures.” Read more information here and find the full report here.

The US House passes Rep. Castro and Rep. Kim’s H. Res. 892 calling the Government of the Republic of Rwanda to release Paul Rusesabagina on humanitarian grounds. More here.

President Biden issues an Executive Order on Bolstering Efforts to Bring Hostages and Wrongfully Detained United States Nationals Home. See full text here.

The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Senator Menendez, requests a review of US-Rwanda policy from the State Department in light of Rwanda’s foreign influence activities on US soil to lead to the kidnapping and illegal detention of Paul Rusesabagina and ongoing human rights abuses. He also calls to elevate the Travel Advisory for Rwanda from Level 1 “ Exercise Normal Precautions” to Level 3 “Reconsider travel” because it is responsible for the wrongful detention of US residents and citizens. Learn more here.

US Secretary of State Blinken will “meet with senior Rwandan government officials and civil society members to discuss shared priorities, including peacekeeping.  The Secretary will focus on the role the government of Rwanda can play in reducing tensions and ongoing violence in eastern DRC. He will also raise democracy and human rights concerns, including transnational repression, limiting space for dissent and political opposition, and the wrongful detention of U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Paul Rusesabagina.”